A Sudanese court has sentenced Mohamed Hamdan 'Hemeti' Dagalo, the leader of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), and 15 others to death in absentia for their roles in killing regional governor Khamis Abbakar and committing war crimes during the conflict in Darfur.

The ruling, issued by a judiciary under army control, marks the first legal action against RSF leadership since the 2023 conflict between the paramilitary group and Sudan's military.The charges include genocide, attacks on civilians, and destruction of public infrastructure.The case centers on Abbakar's killing in June 2023, which followed RSF control over el-Geneina, a key city in West Darfur.UN experts estimate that between 10,000 to 15,000 Massalit civilians were killed during the violence.The court plans to refer the case to Sudan's Supreme Court for review and seek international arrest warrants through Interpol.This verdict highlights the escalating tensions between the RSF and Sudanese army, which have caused widespread displacement and humanitarian crises.The ruling also underscores the ongoing political instability following the 2021 coup that disrupted Sudan's transition to civilian rule.