Sudan to reinvestigate Darfur war crimes

The Sudanese Attorney General, Taj Al-Ser Al-Hebr, yesterday announced that Khartoum will reopen an investigation into war crimes committed by the former regime in the Darfur region.

Al-Hebr told reporters that the prosecution found “great irregularities” in the fact-finding commission’s investigation into human rights violations in Darfur. The body had been formed by the regime of ousted President Omar Al-Bashir in 2004, adding that the investigation of the Darfur crimes was not complete.

The prosecution has issued arrest warrants for new suspects from the security services and former leaders, he added.

Commenting on Ali Mohammed Ali Abdul Rahman Ali, known as Ali Kushayb, a leader of the Sudanese Janjaweed militia which is accused of mass killings and rape, before the International Criminal Court (ICC), Al- Hebr said the trial “raises the Darfur issue again”.

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“There are several obstacles regarding the handing over of wanted persons to the ICC in The Hague, including waiting for the results of the Sudanese peace talks, amending the constitution, in addition to the relevant sovereign decisions,” he explained.

Yesterday, Kushayb who is charged with more than 50 crimes against humanity and war crimes in the Darfur conflict, appeared before a judge at the ICC for the first time since his transfer to the court last week.

Between 2007 and 2012, the ICC issued four arrest warrants for former Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir, former Defence Minister, Abdel Rahim Hussein, former Interior Minister and aide to Al-Bashir, Ahmed Muhammad Harun, as well as Kushayb, on charges of committing genocide and war crimes in Darfur.