Khartoum, Sudan — In a landmark ruling on July 13, 2026, a Sudanese court sentenced Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, the leader of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), commonly known as Hemedti, to death in absentia.
The sentence was handed down for the 2023 killing of West Darfur Governor Khamis Abdallah Abakar and crimes committed during the conflict in Darfur.
The Anti — Terrorism and Crimes Against the State Court in Port Sudan also sentenced 15 other defendants to death in absentia, including Hemedti’s brothers and other RSF figures.
The ruling marks the first judicial verdict against Hemedti since the outbreak of the conflict between the Sudanese army and the RSF in April 2023.
The conflict has been marked by significant humanitarian crises, with over 150,000 deaths and millions displaced, making it one of the most severe in Sudan’s recent history.
According to BBC reports, the RSF, which was formed in 2013, has been accused of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity, particularly in the Darfur region.
The group’s origins trace back to the notorious Janjaweed militia, which was implicated in ethnic cleansing and genocide against the region’s black African, non-Arab population.
The case stems from the June 2023 killing of West Darfur Governor Khamis Abbakar, who was murdered hours after publicly accusing the RSF and allied militias of targeting civilians in Al Geneina.
The court found Dagalo and the other defendants guilty of war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide, and attacks on civilians and public facilities.
The sentencing has sparked widespread reaction both within Sudan and internationally. Human rights organizations have welcomed the ruling as a step towards accountability for the grave abuses committed during the conflict in Darfur.
However, the RSF has consistently denied accusations of genocide and other war crimes.
The ruling is expected to have significant implications for the ongoing conflict in Sudan. With the country already experiencing a severe humanitarian crisis, the verdict could further escalate tensions between the Sudanese army and the RSF.
As the situation in Sudan continues to evolve, the world watches closely to see how this historic ruling will impact the ongoing conflict and the search for peace in the region.
*Additional reporting by ImNews | Sources consulted: 5*
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This original article was produced by the ImNews editorial team
Source: france24 – Africa
Source: FRANCE24
