IN THE NEWS: Sudanese rebel voluntarily appears at ICC

Sudanese rebel leader Bahar Idriss Abu Garda has voluntarily appeared at the International Criminal Court (ICC) to face war crime charges committed in Darfur.

Human rights groups such as Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and ICC have all welcomed Abu Garda's presence before the court.

ICC Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo said Abu Garda's decision may lead to justice for the victims of the crimes committed in Western Darfur region in Sudan.

Abu Garda is accused of directing the Haskanita attack in Southern Darfur which led to the killing of 12 African Union (AU) peacekeeping forces in 2007.

According to ICC prosecutor, the attack led to an assault on millions of people in Darfur who were being protected by AU forces.

The humanitarian crisis in Darfur has claimed the lives of almost 400,000 people and made 2.5 million people homeless since a civil war broke out in Sudan in 2003.

Abu Garda is the first person to appear at ICC in relation to crimes in Darfur. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges brought against him.

The ICC has also charged Sudan's president with war crimes and crimes against humanity, issuing an arrest warrant for Omar al-Bashir.

The president, however, denies the charges saying "What happened in Darfur was an insurgency. The state has the responsibility to fight the rebels."