The United States has officially declared that the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and their affiliated militias have committed genocide in Sudan, prompting the announcement of sanctions against the group’s leader.
In a statement released by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, it was revealed that the RSF has been directly targeting civilians, specifically men and boys, based on their ethnicity. Additionally, the group has been accused of carrying out systematic murders and using rape and other forms of sexual violence against women and girls due to their ethnicity.
Blinken emphasized the commitment of the United States to holding those responsible for these atrocities accountable. The brutal conflict between Sudan’s military and the rebel RSF has resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands of people and the displacement of over 11 million internally in the past 18 months.
Furthermore, thousands have perished due to conflict-related issues such as illness and starvation, as indicated by a study conducted by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Blinken highlighted that the RSF and their affiliated militias have continued to launch attacks against civilians, even targeting innocent individuals fleeing from conflict and obstructing access to life-saving supplies for remaining civilians.
Sanctions were also imposed by the US Treasury Department against RSF leader, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, restricting his travel to the US and freezing any US-based assets he may possess. International organizations like the World Health Organization have faced challenges accessing areas in Sudan where civilians are in dire need of basic necessities.
Concerns have been raised regarding the provision of weapons to the RSF and Sudanese army by certain countries, with the United Nations pointing out that arms supplies must be halted to prevent further atrocities. The Sudanese government has accused the United Arab Emirates (UAE) of arming the RSF, a claim that the UAE has denied.
In a recent development, sanctions have been extended to seven RSF-owned companies situated in the UAE. As for the US, there have been allegations of facilitating severe human rights violations, including genocide, in the Gaza Strip. In this region, Israel, with US military support, has conducted military operations resulting in the deaths of thousands of Palestinians. However, the US denies claims of genocide occurring in Gaza.
