The Hague, Netherlands (Running Africa) — The International Criminal Court (ICC) has formally terminated its war crimes case against Abdallah Banda Abakaer Nourain, a former commander of Sudan’s Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), after prosecutors concluded that the available evidence was no longer strong enough to sustain the charges.

Banda had faced allegations of war crimes linked to a deadly 2007 attack on African Union peacekeepers in Darfur, one of the most high-profile cases arising from the long-running conflict in western Sudan.

ICC Prosecutors Withdraw Charges

The ICC confirmed that prosecutors had withdrawn the case after determining that the evidence had deteriorated over time and no longer met the threshold required to establish substantial grounds for Banda’s criminal responsibility.

Following the prosecution’s request, ICC judges formally terminated the proceedings.

However, the court emphasized that the decision does not amount to an acquittal and leaves open the possibility of new charges should additional evidence emerge in the future.

Case Stemmed From 2007 Attack on AU Peacekeepers

Banda was originally accused of helping orchestrate a September 2007 attack on an African Union peacekeeping mission in Haskanita, Darfur, in which several peacekeepers were killed and others wounded.

He was first summoned before the ICC in 2010 and was formally charged with war crimes in 2011.

The proceedings later stalled after Banda failed to appear before the court, leading judges to issue an arrest warrant while the case remained inactive for years.

Darfur Conflict Remains Central to ICC Investigations

The case is rooted in the wider Darfur conflict, which erupted in 2003 after predominantly non-Arab rebel groups launched an armed uprising against Sudan’s government, accusing it of political and economic marginalization.

The Sudanese government responded by backing the Janjaweed militia, whose campaign of violence against civilian communities was widely condemned by international organizations.

The United States and several human rights groups have described the atrocities committed during the conflict as genocide, while the United Nations documented widespread allegations of killings, forced displacement, sexual violence and attacks on civilians.

Several Darfur Suspects Still Wanted by the ICC

The United Nations Security Council referred the Darfur situation to the ICC in 2005, giving the court jurisdiction to investigate alleged war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide committed during the conflict.

Although the case against Banda has now been discontinued, several other high-profile investigations remain active.

Among those still wanted by the ICC is former Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, who faces charges including genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity over alleged atrocities committed in Darfur.

The decision to end proceedings against Banda marks a significant development in one of the ICC’s longest-running cases, while underscoring the court’s obligation to pursue prosecutions only where sufficient evidence exists to meet international legal standards.