The leader of a militia that carried out a series of atrocities and war crimes in the Sudanese region of Darfur has been convicted by the International Criminal Court.

Ali Muhammad Ali Abd-al-Rahman, also known as Ali Kushayb, was found guilty on 27 counts of crimes against humanity and war crimes, including rape, murder, and persecution.

He is the first person convicted by the ICC over crimes in the Darfur conflict, since the court opened its investigations in 2005.

Presiding ICC Judge Joanna Korner, part of the three-person panel at The Hague, said Abd-al-Rahman "encouraged and gave instructions that resulted in the killings, the rapes and destruction committed by the Janjaweed".

Image: Pic: AP

Abd-al-Rahman was a senior commander in the Janjaweed militia during the Darfur conflic

See Full Page