U.S. Declares Sudan’s RSF Committed Genocide, Sanctions Top Leader
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The United States has officially determined that members of Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and allied militias are responsible for committing genocide during the country’s ongoing conflict. In response, Washington has imposed sanctions on RSF leader General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, also known as Hemedti, over atrocities that have killed tens of thousands and displaced millions.
The sanctions target Hemedti and his family, barring them from traveling to the U.S. and freezing any U.S.-based assets they may hold. Seven RSF-linked companies, primarily based in the United Arab Emirates, were also sanctioned for aiding the group’s arms procurement. The U.S. Treasury stated that Hemedti, as the RSF’s overall commander, is accountable for the “abhorrent and illegal actions” carried out by his forces.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken detailed the RSF’s alleged crimes, which include systematic ethnic violence, mass killings, sexual violence against women and girls, and attacks on civilians fleeing the conflict. Despite the RSF’s denials, reports indicate that its militias have engaged in looting, assaults, and other human rights violations across Sudan.
The RSF has rejected the sanctions, likening the move to past international misjudgments, such as sanctions against Nelson Mandela. An RSF spokesperson claimed the group is being unfairly punished while those who “started the war” go unscathed.
Sudan’s conflict, which began in April 2023 as a power struggle between the RSF and the Sudanese army, has created one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world. Over half of Sudan’s population faces severe hunger, with famine officially declared in some regions. The U.N. and aid organizations struggle to provide relief amid ongoing violence.
While Blinken emphasized that both the RSF and the Sudanese army are responsible for the country’s suffering and lack the legitimacy to lead, this latest move strikes a major blow to the RSF’s attempts to legitimize its position and consolidate power.
Experts believe the genocide designation and sanctions could tarnish the RSF’s long-term political viability. Cameron Hudson, an analyst at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, stated that such measures may make it harder for the RSF to “escape their legacy of violence.”
The sanctions also highlight the RSF’s extensive financial networks, which span from Sudan to neighboring countries and the UAE. Reports suggest that weapons and supplies have been funneled to the RSF through UAE-Chad air routes, a claim the UAE denies but was deemed credible by a U.N. investigation.
As the war drags on, Sudan remains in a precarious state, with both warring factions accused of committing war crimes. International efforts to broker peace and transition Sudan to civilian rule have so far failed, leaving millions of civilians to bear the brunt of the prolonged conflict.
This decision by the U.S. serves as both a condemnation of the RSF’s actions and a broader call for accountability in Sudan’s ongoing crisis.
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