WASHINGTON: The United States unveiled sanctions Thursday against the head of Sudan’s armed forces over the military’s “lethal attacks” against civilians, just days after it designated his rival and former deputy.
The US Treasury Department said in a statement that it had sanctioned Abdel Fattah al-Burhan over attacks by the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) following the outbreak of war in 2023 between Burhan and his former deputy Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, who commands the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
The United States sanctioned Daglo and the RSF on January 7, accusing the group of committing “genocide” in Sudan’s Darfur region.
On Thursday, the Treasury Department accused the SAF of committing attacks against schools, markets, and hospitals, denying humanitarian access, and “using food deprivation as a war tactic.”
Over 30m in need of aid in war-torn Sudan: UN
“Today’s action underscores our commitment to seeing an end to this conflict,” said US Treasury Deputy Secretary Wally Adeyemo.
“The United States will continue to use our tools to disrupt the flow of weapons into Sudan and hold these leaders responsible for their blatant disregard of civilian lives,” he added.
The US Treasury also announced sanctions against Sudanese-Ukrainian national Ahmad Abdalla, and Hong Kong-based firm Portex Trade Limited for allegedly procuring weapons for the SAF on behalf of a sanctioned supplier.
Earlier Thursday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he regretted his inability to end the brutal war in Sudan and voiced hope that President-elect Donald Trump’s administration would keep trying to do so.
“It is for me, yes, another real regret that when it comes to Sudan, we haven’t been able on our watch to get to that day of success,” he said at a farewell news conference.
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