The United Nations Security Council has taken a significant step by imposing sanctions on two Sudanese generals for their involvement in the ongoing conflict in Sudan. The conflict, which erupted in mid-April 2023, has resulted in a devastating toll on the country, with over 14,000 people killed and 33,000 injured. The situation has also pushed Sudan to the brink of famine, according to recent warnings from the U.N.
The sanctioned generals, Maj. Gen. Osman Mohamed Hamid Mohamed and Maj. Gen. Abdel Rahman Juma Barkalla, both hold key positions in Sudan's paramilitary force, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The sanctions were imposed due to their roles in perpetuating acts of violence and human rights abuses that threaten the peace, security, and stability of Sudan.
Both the United Nations and the United States have taken action against the generals, with sanctions requiring all countries to freeze their assets and impose travel bans. The U.S. Treasury had previously frozen any assets held by the generals in the U.S. and prohibited financial transactions with them.
The conflict in Sudan has reignited memories of the atrocities committed in Darfur two decades ago, where up to 300,000 people were killed and millions displaced. The RSF, which emerged from the notorious Janjaweed Arab militias, has been accused of carrying out a campaign of ethnic cleansing against non-Arab populations in Darfur.
Human Rights Watch has documented numerous attacks by the RSF and its allied militias, particularly targeting the ethnic Masalit and other non-Arab groups in West Darfur. The report highlights instances of torture, rape, and destruction of entire neighborhoods, constituting crimes against humanity and ethnic cleansing.
The RSF currently controls the capitals of four out of five states in Darfur and is intensifying its military campaign to gain control of the remaining holdout, El Fasher in North Darfur. The international community continues to monitor the situation closely, with concerns over the escalating violence and humanitarian crisis in Sudan.
