ICC convicts first Darfur militia leader for war crimes

THE HAGUE (Reuters) - The International Criminal Court on Monday convicted the first militia leader ever put on trial for atrocities committed in Sudan's Darfur region more than 20 years ago.

The court found Ali Muhammad Ali Abd-Al-Rahman guilty of 27 counts of crimes against humanity and war crimes, including rape, murder and persecution. His sentence will be determined at a later date after a new round of hearings.

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The conviction in the first and only trial looking at crimes in Sudan since the case was referred to the court by the United Nations Security Council in 2005 is a landmark for the ICC.

There are still outstanding arrest warrants against Sudanese officials, including one accusing former President Omar al-Bashir of genocide charges.