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Sudan Court Sentences RSF Leader Dagalo to Death in Absentia
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia /Crime & Justice

Sudan Court Sentences RSF Leader Dagalo to Death in Absentia

From Asharq Al-Awsat · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News From a news agency Outcome reported
  • A Sudanese court sentenced paramilitary leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo and 15 others to death in absentia for war crimes and genocide.
  • The ruling, issued by a judiciary under army control, is the first against Rapid Support Forces (RSF) leadership since the war began in April 2023.
  • The case stems from the killing of a regional governor and widespread violence in Darfur, though the RSF denies allegations.

A court in Sudan's army-controlled Port Sudan has sentenced paramilitary leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, also known as Hemedti, and 15 others to death in absentia. The ruling, reported by state media, addresses charges including war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide, and attacks on civilians. This marks the first judicial action against the leadership of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) since the conflict erupted between the RSF and the Sudanese army in April 2023.

The ruling, issued by a judiciary functioning under the army, is the first against the leadership of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) since war broke out between the group and the Sudanese army in April 2023.

— state mediaReporting on the court's decision.

The charges are linked to the killing of West Darfur governor Khamis Abbakar in June 2023, shortly after RSF forces took control of El-Geneina. Abbakar had accused the RSF and allied militias of attacking civilians. UN experts estimate that between 10,000 and 15,000 people, primarily from the Massalit ethnic group, died in El-Geneina during that period. The RSF has consistently denied accusations of genocide and other war crimes.

Those sentenced include Dagalo's brother and deputy, Abdelrahim Hamdan Dagalo, as well as several RSF officers and tribal leaders from Arab communities in West Darfur.

— AFPDetailing the individuals convicted alongside Dagalo.

The court's decision will be referred to the Supreme Court for review. Authorities plan to seek the arrest and extradition of the convicted individuals through Interpol and other international channels. The conflict, now in its fourth year, has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths and displaced over 11 million people, creating what the UN calls the world's largest displacement and hunger crises. The war began after a falling out between army leader Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and Dagalo over plans to integrate the RSF into the regular army, following their joint 2021 coup that disrupted Sudan's transition to civilian rule.

The RSF has repeatedly denied allegations of genocide and other war crimes.

— The RSFStating the paramilitary group's position on the accusations.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Asharq Al-Awsat in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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