The United States has slapped sanctions on top officials of Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces on Wednesday for a range of alleged murders and rights abuses, including the killing of the governor of West Darfur.
The U.S. Treasury sanctioned RSF senior commander Abdelrahim Hamdan Daglo and the brother of Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, leader of the paramilitary RSF.
Under Abdelrahim Daglo, the Treasury said, RSF members “have engaged in acts of violence and human rights abuses, including the massacre of civilians, ethnic killings, and use of sexual violence.”
It said that many of the abuses took place in the Darfur region of Sudan.
The U.S. State Department, meanwhile, placed RSF general and West Darfur sector commander Abdul Rahman Juma on its blacklist for what it called “his involvement in a gross violation of human rights.”
“According to credible sources, on June 15, 2023, RSF forces led by General Juma kidnapped and killed the governor of West Darfur, Khamis Abbakar, and his brother,” the State Department said.
It said the murder came just hours after Abbakar publicly condemned the RSF.
The sanctions came as the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces continued to fight for control of the country.
Repeated efforts by outside groups have failed to produce a durable ceasefire between the two sides, led by rival generals.
