Sudan’s RSF Leader Sentenced to Death for War Crimes
A court in Port Sudan announced that Rapid Support Forces (RSF) commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, widely known by the nickname Hemedti, has been condemned to death for war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity committed in West Darfur. The decision was issued in absentia, and 15 other senior RSF members received identical verdicts.
The RSF, a state‑backed paramilitary group that emerged from the Janjaweed militia, has been a central actor in Sudan’s 2023 civil war. Critics say the group has targeted civilians, destroyed villages and carried out ethnic violence, especially against the Masalit community.
The court cited mass killings in el‑Geneina, the killing of state governor Khamis Abbakar in June 2023, and systematic attacks on schools, places of worship and residential areas. Court observers note the trial’s focus on these incidents, though the RSF’s alliance with the Sudan Founding Alliance dismissed the proceedings as a sham that offers no value to the nation’s justice system.
International bodies have weighed in. The International Criminal Court’s deputy chief prosecutor reported “concrete evidence” linking RSF leaders to war crimes. Human Rights Watch documented that the May 2024 campaign in el‑Geneina resulted in thousands of deaths and forced hundreds of thousands to flee, labeling the actions as a campaign of ethnic cleansing.
Both sides of the conflict have been accused of human rights abuses. United Nations investigators have highlighted raids by the Sudanese army and RSF on civilians and critical infrastructure, including medical facilities. The ongoing violence has left more than 150,000 dead and about 12 million people displaced, with 28 million facing severe hunger.
The judge instructed the seizure of all RSF assets and requested Interpol red notices for the arrested individuals, though the RSF’s leaders remain beyond the army’s reach. The real impact of the verdict on the RSF’s activities and on Sudan’s political landscape is uncertain, with many questioning whether such a judgment will alter the power dynamics in a region still dominated by armed groups.
Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo’s current location is unknown, and the RSF has yet to issue a direct commentary on the capture.
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