The United Kingdom has imposed sanctions on senior commanders of Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) suspected of violence in the Darfur hub of El-Fasher.
In a statement on Friday, the UK government said those targeted include Abdul Rahim Hamdan Dagalo, the RSF Deputy Leader and brother of RSF leader General Hemedti, as well as three other commanders who are suspected of involvement in the crimes.
The RSF commanders are accused of atrocities, including mass killings, sexual violence, and deliberate attacks on civilians in El Fasher.
“The UK has today (12 December) sanctioned senior commanders of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) suspected of heinous violence in El Fasher, Sudan, including mass killings, systematic sexual violence, and deliberate attacks on civilians.
“Those targeted include Abdul Rahim Hamdan Dagalo, the RSF Deputy Leader and brother of RSF leader General Hemedti, as well as three other commanders that are suspected of involvement in these crimes, who all now face asset freezes and travel bans,” the UK stated.
According to the UK, RSF’s actions in El Fasher were not random and are part of a deliberate strategy to terrorise populations and seize control through fear and violence.
It added satellite imagery showed evidence of mass graves where victims have been burned and buried, and the sanctions send “a clear message that those who commit atrocities will be held to account.
“The atrocities taking place in Sudan are so horrific they scar the conscience of the world. The overwhelming evidence of heinous crimes – mass executions, starvation, and the systematic and calculated use of rape as a weapon of war – cannot and will not go unpunished.
“Today’s sanctions against RSF commanders strike directly at those with blood on their hands, while our strengthened aid package will deliver lifesaving support to those suffering,” UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper stated.
