LONDON — The United Kingdom on Friday imposed sanctions on senior commanders of Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) over alleged mass killings, systematic sexual violence and deliberate attacks on civilians in El Fasher, North Darfur.
Those sanctioned include Abdul Rahim Hamdan Dagalo, the RSF’s deputy leader and brother of its commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemedti, along with three other RSF commanders suspected of involvement in the violence. All face asset freezes and travel bans.
British authorities said the RSF’s actions in El Fasher were part of a deliberate strategy to terrorize civilians and seize control through fear and violence.
Satellite imagery, the UK said, shows evidence of mass graves, burned bodies and widespread civilian casualties.
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said the sanctions send a clear message that those responsible for atrocities will be held accountable.
“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,” she said.
Alongside the sanctions, the UK announced an additional £21 million in emergency humanitarian assistance for Sudan, bringing total British aid to £146 million this year.
The funding is intended to provide food, clean water, healthcare and protection for women and children, and to support hospitals and reunite families. British officials said the aid is expected to reach about 150,000 people.
The UK said it continues to press all parties to end the war and allow unhindered access for humanitarian workers, while warning that further sanctions remain under consideration.
Britain has also provided technical support to international accountability mechanisms and funded efforts to document human rights violations.
Sudan’s conflict, which erupted in April 2023 between the RSF and the Sudanese Armed Forces, has triggered what the UK described as the world’s worst humanitarian crisis, with 30 million people in need of aid, more than 12 million displaced, and millions fleeing as refugees to neighboring countries. — Agencies
