The U.S has accused Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) of genocide and sanctioned its leader, Commander Mohamed ‘Hemedti’ Dagalo.
U.S Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced the penalties, noting the RSF’s role in widespread crimes during the current Sudanese conflict.
Blinken claims in a damning press statement released yesterday that the RSF and its linked militias have systematically targeted ethnic groups with murder, sexual brutality, and attacks on fleeing civilians.
He noted that, “The RSF has wantonly ignored commitments under international humanitarian law, the 2023 Jeddah Declaration of Commitment to Protect the Civilians of Sudan, and the 2024 Code of Conduct established by the Advancing Lifesaving and Peace in Sudan initiative.”
The US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) also sanctioned seven companies linked to the RSF, including UAE-based firms alleged to have provided funding and weapons.
The sanctions seek to undermine the RSF’s finances and apply pressure on regional backers, especially the UAE.
While the immediate impact of the sanctions remains uncertain, they serve as a clear warning to international supporters.
The United Kingdom imposed sanctions on the DIS in July 2023, followed by the European Union in January 2024.
The UN Security Council also previously unanimously voted to extend the current sanctions against Sudan in September last year, which include asset freezes, travel bans, and an arms embargo, for another year.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday, El Basha Tebeig, an advisor to the RSF Commander, issued a sharp repudiation of U.S sanctions, accusing Washington of employing double standards and acting with political bias.
Tebeig claimed the decision was shaped by “pressure lobbies known to us” and argued it provided a “moral boost for the Islamic movement led by Ali Karti to continue the extermination of the Sudanese people.”
Dismissing the sanctions as ineffective, Tebeig asserted, “This decision has no value or impact on the current situation in Sudan but may complicate the crisis and hinder reaching serious negotiations.”
The RSF reaffirmed its stance to “uproot the state of injustice and tyranny” and establish a new order grounded in “citizenship, justice, and equality.”
