The Sudanese government expressed strong disapproval on Friday after the United States imposed sanctions on Mirghani Idris, the director general of the Sudanese Defense Industries System. The U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned Idris, citing his leadership in the Sudanese Armed Forces’ (SAF) weapons acquisition efforts to support its conflict with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary group.
Sudan’s foreign ministry issued a statement calling the sanctions “unexpected and unjustified,” asserting that it’s the responsibility of national militaries to defend their countries and secure necessary resources to maintain stability. The ministry argued that without such capabilities, security and peace at all levels would be unattainable.
The ministry also noted that since the start of the conflict, the U.S. has alleged that the SAF is focused on arms procurement, including drones from Iran and an alleged “ports-for-arms” deal with Russia, prioritizing military escalation over peace efforts.
The statement further criticized the U.S. for “overlooking” the sources supplying the RSF with arms and fighters, despite reported evidence of external support for the RSF and repeated calls from U.S. lawmakers for action. Instead, the ministry claimed, the U.S. is attempting to diminish SAF’s ability to defend civilians against the “militia’s unprecedented violence.”
The ministry underscored that attempts by the U.S. to appear neutral between SAF and RSF “do not absolve it of responsibility for the ongoing violence against civilians, citing recent incidents in Al Jazirah and Butana regions.”
U.S. Justification for Sanctions
On Thursday, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller explained the U.S. decision to sanction Idris, stating that SAF’s focus on weapons procurement from Iran and Russia only escalates the war with the RSF. This alleged arms strategy includes port-for-arms agreements with Russia, further intensifying the conflict.
Miller emphasized the toll of the ongoing war on civilians, stating: “This devastating conflict has seen attacks on civilians and critical infrastructure, displacing over 11 million Sudanese and leaving more than 21 million in severe hunger. The people of Sudan deserve a return to peace, justice, and civilian rule.”