The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) sanctioned two high-ranking officials from Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on allegations of involvement in human rights abuses and contributing to Sudan’s instability. These sanctions represent the first UNSC-imposed measures in the Sudanese war that erupted on April 15, 2023, amid a power struggle between the RSF, led by Mohamed Hamdan “Hemedti” Dagalo, and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan.
Following a U.S. proposal, the UNSC’s Sudan sanctions committee agreed to impose a travel ban and asset freeze on RSF’s head of operations, Osman Mohamed Hamid Mohamed, and West Darfur commander, Abdel Rahman Juma Barkalla. The committee required consensus for approval, which had been delayed as Russia requested more time to study the proposal.
Earlier, the U.S. Treasury Department had imposed sanctions on RSF’s Mohamed and Central Darfur commander, Ali Yagoub Gibril, in May.
The war in Sudan has created a severe humanitarian crisis, displacing over 10 million people, with 2.4 million fleeing the country. According to UN data, nearly half of Sudan’s population now requires urgent aid as famine has taken hold in displacement camps. Over 20,000 individuals have lost their lives due to the conflict, with further casualties expected as health facilities struggle to operate, exacerbated by a cholera outbreak.
The UNSC’s Sudan sanctions regime dates back to 2005, initially aimed at curbing violence in Darfur, where pro-government militias, the precursors to RSF, were involved in severe atrocities against non-Arab communities. In the early 2000s, these Janjaweed militias played a key role in crushing rebellions in Darfur, resulting in a death toll estimated at 300,000. Sudanese leaders from this period remain wanted by the International Criminal Court on charges of genocide and crimes against humanity.