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International Prosecutor Seeks War Crimes Charges Against Mali Suspect

Reuters

   THE HAGUE - The prosecutor of the International Criminal Court on
   Monday asked judges to approve war crimes and crimes against humanity
   charges against a man suspected of committing atrocities in Timbuktu in
   Mali.

   Al Hassan Ag Abdoul Aziz Ag Mohamed Ag Mahmoud is suspected of crimes
   including destroying cultural monuments and enforcing policies that led
   to the sexual enslavement of women and girls, allegedly committed while
   he acted as the de-facto chief of Islamic police in Timbuktu during a
   2012-2013 rebel takeover of the city.

   In a hearing to determine whether her case against Al Hassan can
   proceed, Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda argued that he bore important
   responsibility for abuses of the civilian population during the
   2012-2013 conflict in northern Mali.