Court Delivers Landmark Verdict Against Paramilitary Leadership
A Sudanese court in Port Sudan has sentenced Rapid Support Forces (RSF) leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo and 15 other individuals to death in absentia for their involvement in war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide, according to state news agency SUNA. The ruling, announced on Sunday, marks the first judicial action against the RSF leadership since the outbreak of conflict between the paramilitary group and the Sudanese army in April 2023.
The defendants include Dagalo's brother and deputy, Abdelrahim Hamdan Dagalo, along with several RSF officers and tribal leaders from Arab communities in West Darfur. The court convicted them of attacks on civilians and public facilities, with the case centered on the killing of West Darfur Governor Khamis Abbakar in June 2023.
Details of the Case and Charges
Governor Abbakar was killed hours after accusing the RSF and allied militias of carrying out attacks against civilians in El-Geneina, the state capital, which had been seized by RSF forces. United Nations experts estimated that between 10,000 and 15,000 people, predominantly from the Massalit ethnic group, were killed in El-Geneina during the violence that followed. The RSF has consistently denied allegations of genocide and other war crimes.
The court stated it would refer the case to the Supreme Court for review and seek the arrest and extradition of those convicted through Interpol and other international channels. The death sentence, delivered in absentia, underscores the gravity of the charges, which include genocide and crimes against humanity.
Broader Context of the Conflict
The war between the Sudanese army, led by Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, and the RSF erupted after a dispute over plans to integrate the RSF into the regular army. The two leaders had jointly orchestrated the 2021 coup that derailed Sudan's transition to civilian rule. Now in its fourth year, the conflict has killed tens of thousands, displaced more than 11 million people, and triggered what the United Nations describes as the world's largest displacement and hunger crises.
According to the UN, over 14 million people have been displaced since April 2023, including more than 4.5 million who have fled to neighboring countries. The humanitarian situation remains dire, with widespread food insecurity and limited access to basic services.
