EU sanctions Sudan RSF leader over war crimes

The European Union has imposed sanctions on a senior leader of Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) over what it called “grave and ongoing atrocities."

The RSF has been fighting the Sudanese Armed Forces for control of the country for more than two years. Last month, it seized the North Darfur capital el-Fasher after 500 days of siege. On entering the city, fighters went on a rampage, going house-to-house, killing and sexually assaulting civilians, according to eye-witnesses and aid groups.

The EU said deliberate targeting of civilians, ethnically motivated killings, systematic sexual and gender-based violence, starvation as a weapon of war and denying aid access all constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity.

"Let's start from the start, the EU has condemned in the strongest possible terms, the grave and ongoing atrocities perpetrated by the Rapid Support Forces," Anouar El Anouni, EU Commission Spokesperson, said at a press briefing in Brussels on Friday.

"In response to these crimes, yesterday the EU adopted sanctions against Abdel-Rahim Hamdan Dagalo, the second in command of the RSF. This sends a strong signal that the international community will come after those who are responsible.”

The RSF did not address the sanctions in a statement on its Telegram channel on Friday but said it welcomes international efforts for a ceasefire while claiming the military was the “true obstacle to achieving peace.”

Sudan's war has killed at least 40,000 people, according to the World Health Organization, and displaced 12 million. Aid groups say the true death toll is likely much higher.