A court in Port Sudan has sentenced the leader of Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, to death over war crimes linked to the conflict in West Darfur.
Dagalo, widely known as Hemedti, was convicted in absentia alongside 15 senior RSF commanders. All were found guilty of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide.
The trial focused on atrocities in the regional capital el-Geneina, including the killing of West Darfur Governor Khamis Abbakar in June 2023. Prosecutors said the group orchestrated attacks on civilians, large-scale looting and destruction, and targeted schools, mosques and residential areas.
Among those sentenced were Hemedti’s brother and deputy Abdelrahim Hamdan Dagalo, another brother Al-Qoni Hamdan Dagalo, and the RSF’s West Darfur commander Abdul Rahman Juma Barkallah.
Special Judge Mohamed Al-Amin also ordered the seizure of all RSF assets and directed authorities to request Interpol Red Notices for the arrest and extradition of those convicted.
This is the first judicial conviction of RSF leadership since fighting erupted in April 2023. But its practical effect is uncertain. The RSF still controls large areas of western Sudan, and Hemedti’s location is not publicly known. The RSF has not responded to the verdict and has previously denied committing war crimes.
The ruling comes amid mounting international scrutiny. UN investigators and rights groups have accused the RSF and allied Arab militias of ethnically targeted attacks against the Masalit people in Darfur. Earlier this month, the ICC’s deputy prosecutor said there is “concrete evidence” linking RSF leaders to war crimes.
A May 2024 Human Rights Watch report said the campaign in and around el-Geneina between April and November 2023 killed thousands and displaced hundreds of thousands, describing it as part of an ethnic cleansing campaign against Masalit and other non-Arab communities.
Both the army and the RSF have faced accusations of abuses. UN investigators last year found both forces had targeted civilians and critical infrastructure, including hospitals.
The war began in April 2023 after a power struggle between army chief Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and Hemedti. According to aid agencies, more than 150,000 people have died, 12 million have been displaced, and about 28 million face acute hunger.
