Burning town in Darfur, Sudan. credit: Amnesty International
The Council of the European Union has sanctioned six RSF and SAF military leaders for undermining stability and political transition in Sudan.
The Council adopted restrictive measures today against six individuals responsible for activities undermining the stability and political transition of Sudan, where fighting is still ongoing between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and their respective affiliated militias.
On the RSF side, the new listings include Abdulrahman Juma Barakallah, a General commanding the RSF in West Darfur who is responsible for committing atrocities and other abuses, instigating ethnically motivated killings, targeted attacks on human rights activists and defenders, conflict-related sexual violence, and the looting and burning of communities. They also include the RSF’ financial adviser, as well as a prominent tribal leader of the Mahamid clan affiliated with the RSF in West Darfur.
On the SAF side, sanctions target the Director General of Defense Industry System (DIS), a company already sanctioned by the EU, and the Commander of the Sudanese Air Force, El Tahir Mohamed El Awad El Amin, for their responsibility in the indiscriminate aerial bombing of densely populated residential areas since the beginning of the conflict. Ali Ahmed Karti Mohamed, a former Sudanese Minister of Foreign Affairs under the Government of Omar al-Bashir is also listed.
Those targeted are subject to an asset freeze and a prohibition on the provision of funds or economic resources to them, directly or indirectly. Additionally, they are subject to travel bans in the European Union.
Restrictive measures under the Sudan sanctions regime now apply to a total of six individuals and six entities. The relevant legal acts have been published in the Official Journal of the European Union.
Background On 22 January 2024, the Council adopted a first set of restrictive measures against six entities of the SAF and the RSF responsible for supporting activities undermining the stability and political transition of Sudan.
On 12 April 2024, the High Representative issued a statement on behalf of the EU on the one-year mark of the war between the SAF and the RSF, appealing to the warring parties for an immediate and durable ceasefire, and reminding them of their obligation under international humanitarian law to protect civilians.
The EU stated that it was ready to continue to use its tools in order to contribute to ending the armed conflict, discouraging the obstruction of humanitarian assistance and halting the culture of impunity.