The International Criminal Court (ICC) has convicted Al Hassan Ag Abdoul Aziz Ag Mohamed Ag Mahmoud, an al-Qaeda-linked extremist, for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Mali between 2012 and 2013. At the time, Al Hassan was one of the leaders of Ansar Dine, a jihadist group with al-Qaeda ties, which controlled northern Mali during the same period. He was found guilty of torturing prisoners and overseeing brutal punishments such as amputations and floggings during the group’s control of Timbuktu. During the trial, prosecutors detailed how prisoners endured abuse in unsanitary cells and public punishments, including a public amputation. While he was acquitted of charges related to sexual crimes, the court acknowledged that rape and sexual slavery occurred under Ansar Dine’s rule. He now awaits sentencing and could potentially get a life sentence for his crimes.
SOURCE: VOA NEWS