The United States has formally concluded that the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and allied militias have committed genocide in Sudan, prompting sanctions against the group’s leader, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo.
This determination follows a brutal 18-month conflict between Sudan’s military and the RSF, which has claimed tens of thousands of lives and displaced over 11 million people internally.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement on Tuesday that RSF has systematically targeted civilians, committing atrocities including mass killings and sexual violence based on ethnicity.
Blinken said, “The RSF and RSF-aligned militias have continued to direct attacks against civilians.
“Those same militias have targeted fleeing civilians, murdering innocent people escaping conflict, and prevented remaining civilians from accessing lifesaving supplies.”
He emphasised the US’s commitment to accountability, stating, “The United States is committed to holding accountable those responsible for these atrocities.”
The US Treasury Department also imposed sanctions on Dagalo, freezing any assets he holds in the U.S. and barring his travel.
Seven RSF-owned companies based in the United Arab Emirates were similarly sanctioned.
The situation in Sudan remains dire, with international organisations struggling to provide aid.
Earlier on Tuesday, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) said it is “sanctioning Mohammad Hamdan Daglo Mousa (Hemedti), the leader of Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), under Executive Order (E.O.) 14098, ‘Imposing Sanctions on Certain Persons Destabilizing Sudan and Undermining the Goal of a Democratic Transition.’
“For nearly two years, Hemedti’s RSF has engaged in a brutal armed conflict with the Sudanese Armed Forces for control of Sudan, killing tens of thousands, displacing 12 million Sudanese, and triggering widespread starvation.”
“In addition, OFAC is sanctioning seven companies and one individual linked to the RSF. The RSF’s ability to acquire military equipment and generate finances continue to fuel the conflict in Sudan. Capital Tap Holding L.L.C. (Capital Tap Holding), based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), has provided money and weapons to the RSF,” it added.
After reviewing the horrifying information of suffering inside Sudan, I have concluded that members of the Rapid Support Forces and allied militias have committed genocide in Sudan. The United States is committed to pursuing accountability for these atrocities.
— Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) January 7, 2025
