A Sudanese court has sentenced the leader of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo to death for war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide over atrocities committed in the West Darfur region.
The court in Port Sudan, a city under the army’s rule, convicted Dagalo – known as Hemedti – in absentia, along with 15 other senior RSF members, who were given the same sentence.
The Sudan Founding Alliance, which includes the RSF, told the BBC it was “sham trial” that “does not even deserve a comment”.
The trial centred on alleged atrocities committed in the regional capital el-Geneina, including the June 2023 killing of the state governor, Khamis Abbakar.
The court also found the 16 defendants guilty of orchestrating attacks on civilians, widespread destruction and looting of property, and the targeting of schools, places of worship and residential neighbourhoods.
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.
The RSF has not yet directly commented on the verdict but has previously rejected accusations of war crimes during the conflict.
Special Judge Mohamed Al-Amin ordered the confiscation of all RSF assets and instructed the authorities to seek Interpol Red Notices for the arrest and extradition of those convicted.