FREETOWN, 26 February 2009 (IRIN NEWS)

The Special Court for Sierra Leone on 25 February convicted three former leaders of the Revolutionary United Front (RUF), marking the first time a court has convicted on the charge of “forced marriage”. It also set a precedent by charging all three under war crimes for targeting humanitarian and peacekeepers in direct attacks

After a four-year trial, the tribunal found former RUF interim leader Issa Hassan Sesay and RUF commander Morris Kallon guilty on 16 of 18 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity, and former RUF chief of security Augustine Gbao on 14 counts. All three men were convicted of forcing marriage on women.

An international tribunal has found three Sierra Leone rebels guilty of war crimes and crimes against humanity

RUF leaders Issa Sesay and Morris Kallon were convicted of 16 of the 18 charges, while Augustine Gbao, was found guilty on 14 of the counts.

The Freetown trial of the RUF rebel leaders, related to Sierra Leone’s 10-year civil war, began in mid-2004.

Many RUF victims in the court sighed with relief at the verdicts. Sentences will be decided at a later date.