Sudanese court sentences Hemedti to death in absentia A Sudanese court has sentenced the commander of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, also known as Hemedti, to death in his absence on charges of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide relating to the killing of the governor of West Darfur Khamis Abdallah Abakar, and a range of other atrocities during the war in Darfur.
The counter-terrorism court ruling in Port Sudan also sentenced 15 other senior leaders of the RSF to death, including two of Hemedti’s brothers. Sudanese state media reported that the convictions relate to the assassination of Governor Abakar in 2023, and the subsequent killing and displacement of thousands of civilians in El Geneina, the capital of West Darfur.
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The decision is the first legal judgment against the leadership of the RSF since the civil war between the paramilitary group and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) began in April 2023.
Because Hemedti and the other commanders have not been arrested, they were tried in their absence.
Hemedti has previously been accused by international investigators of war crimes in Darfur, including systematic killings of civilians.
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International investigations In April 2023, the UN Panel of Experts on the Sudan documented a “campaign of ethnic cleansing” conducted by the RSF and allied militia against non-Arab populations in West Darfur, including systematic killings, widespread sexual violence, and displacement.
An April 2024 UN report warned that the RSF and allied militia had engaged in repeated mass killings and other serious human rights abuses during the conflict in West Darfur.
These abuses likely constitute crimes against humanity and could, in some instances, bear the hallmarks of genocide, UN investigators said in a recent update.
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Amnesty International has also documented systematic and widespread attacks by the RSF on civilian areas in Darfur that could amount to crimes against humanity.
“Hemedti and his commanders have led a brutal campaign against civilian populations, and justice now must follow the path that has been paved by the courage of victims and witnesses,” Amnesty International stated following the sentencing.
“ Sudanese authorities must ensure that this judgment is part of a broader effort to hold to account all those responsible for crimes against civilians, whether in Darfur or elsewhere in Sudan, including through full cooperation with the International Criminal Court.”
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In December 2023, prosecutors for the ICC said they had gathered more evidence linking senior RSF leadership to crimes committed in Darfur and increased their investigations.
The Sudanese court’s sentencing of Hemedti to death and other commanders is separate from ongoing ICC proceedings. The war between the SAF and the RSF has led to one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises, displacing millions and causing widespread famine, disease, and insecurity across Sudan.
Human rights groups continue to call for accountability and stronger international action to protect civilians from the ongoing conflict.
