Jihadist police chief of Timbuktu jailed for war crimes

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has sentenced Al-Hassan ag Abdoul Aziz, former head of the Islamic police in Mali’s Timbuktu, to 10 years in prison for war crimes.

He was found guilty of torture, public amputations, and floggings during the city’s 2012 occupation by the Ansar Dine militant group, linked to al-Qaeda.

However, Al-Hassan was acquitted of charges related to rape, sexual slavery, and the destruction of historic sites.

The ICC called the sentence a strong condemnation of his crimes and acknowledged the suffering of victims.

Captured in 2018, Al-Hassan's case follows the earlier conviction of another militant leader who destroyed Timbuktu’s mausoleums.

Reparations for victims are expected, while Al-Hassan has 30 days to appeal.