Governor Ahmed Mohammed Haroun أحمد هارون |
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Governor of North Kordofan | |
Assumed office 14 July 2013 |
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Preceded by | Muatassim Mirghani Hussein Zaki al-Din |
Governor of South Kordofan | |
In office May 2009 – 12 July 2013 |
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Preceded by | Omar Silaman |
Succeeded by | Adam al-Faki Mohamed al-Tayeb |
Minister of State for Humanitarian Affairs | |
In office 2006–2009 |
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Succeeded by | Mutrif Siddiq |
Minister of State for the Interior | |
In office April 2003 – September 2005 |
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Succeeded by | Alio Abini Alio |
Personal details | |
Born | 1964 North Kurdufan, Republic of Sudan |
Nationality | Sudanese |
Political party | National Congress |
Occupation | Politician |
Religion | Islam |
Military service | |
Allegiance | Sudan |
Battles/wars |
Second Sudanese Civil War War in Darfur |
Ahmed Mohammed Haroun (or Ahmad Harun أحمد هارون) (born 1964) is one of three Sudanese men wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Darfur. Despite international pressure on the government of Sudan to surrender him to the ICC, Haroun served as Sudan's Minister of State for Humanitarian Affairs until May 2009 when he was appointed to the governorship of South Kordofan. In September 2007, he was appointed to lead an investigation into human rights violations in Darfur. In July 2013 he resigned as Governor of South Kordofan, and was reappointed by Omar al-Bashir as Governor of North Kordofan.
Born in 1964, Haroun is from the state of North Kordofan. He comes from the Bargo African tribe in western Sudan. He trained as a lawyer.
At one time Haroun was Sudan's youngest minister of state. He also accused in participating in mobilizing and training of tribal fighters to attack civilians during the counterinsurgency in South Sudan. He also participated in the mobilization of the Murahileen militia and the conduct of military operations in Kordofan during the 1990s.
During the time Haroun served as the minister of state for interior affairs, from April 2003 to September 2005, he also managed the Darfur Security Desk, which coordinated different government bodies involved in the counterinsurgency campaign in Darfur, such as the police, the Janjaweed, the Armed Forces, and the Intelligence Service. This department also managed access of NGOs and the media to Darfur. From 2006 to 2009, he was the minister of state for humanitarian affairs.
Haroun allegedly recruited, funded and armed the Janjaweed militia, and incited attacks against civilian populations.
Forces under his command have been accused on targeting the towns of Kodoom, Bindisi, Mukjar, Arawala and surrounding areas during 2003 and 2004, even though these towns were apparently devoid of rebel presence and the civilian population was not taking part in hostilities. According to BBC News, Haroun ordered the militia to kill, rape, and torture civilians. Haroun has denied the accusations, and was quoted as saying the violence "never happened in the first place." Haroun was reported as having said that since the "children of the Fur had become rebels, 'all the Fur' had become 'booty' for the Janjaweed." After his speech, the Janjaweed militia, under the command of Ali Kushayb, looted the towns between Bindisi and Mukjar, and terrorized civilians.