HIGH RANKING JANJAWEED LEADER & SUSPECTED WAR CRIMINAL

WANTED FOR OVER 40 COUNTS OF CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY AND WAR CRIMES, FOR DIRECTING AND PARTICIPATING IN KILLINGS, RAPE, DESTRUCTION AND FORCIBLE DISPLACEMENT IN FOUR VILLAGES IN WEST DARFUR

Real name: Ali Mohamed Ali. AKA: Ali Kushayb, Ali Kosheib, Ali Kouchib, Ali Kosheb, Ali Koshib and Ali Koship

On 31st March 2005, the United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 1593, referring the situation in Darfur to the ICC. Following a 20 month investigation the Court decided that there was sufficient evidence to indict Ali Kushayb.

During 2003-4 Kushayb was the most senior Janjaweed commander in the Wadi Saleh area in West Darfur - he was known as the 'colonel of colonels'.  Eventually, he came to command many thousands of Janjaweed militiamen and, with government support, led the joint government-militia “ethnic cleansing’ operations in Wadi Saleh. Kosheib himself led a number of attacks against civilian villages, during the course of which civilians were killed, women raped, property looted and buildings razed to the ground.

In one attack, in the Kodoom area in August 2003, Kushayb was seen issuing instructions to the Militia/Janjaweed who carried out the attack, killing numerous civilians, some of them shot as they were fleeing. During an attack on Bindisi on or about 15 August 2003, Kushayb was seen in military uniform issuing orders. His forces pillaged and burned homes and shops. The attack on Bindisi lasted for approximately five days and resulted in the destruction of most of the town and the death of more than 100 civilians, including 30 children.

In an attack on Arawala, in December 2003, the evidence shows that Kushayb personally inspected a group of naked women before they were raped by men in military uniform.

The evidence indicates that Kushayb also personally participated in at least one mass execution. In or around March 2004 he was involved in the execution of at least 32 men from Mukjar. Witnesses report that Kushayb beat these men as they were being boarded into Land Cruisers. The cars then left with Kushayb in one of them. About fifteen minutes later, gunshots were heard and the next day 32 dead bodies were found in the bushes.

Present whereabouts:

At the time the ICC warrant was issued Kushayb was in Sudanese Custody in relation to other incidents. However, according to recent reports, Kushayb was released from prison on 1 October 2007 and is currently at liberty in Sudan.