Washington has imposed sanctions on Sudan’s army leader, citing his responsibility for war crimes in the conflict that has drained the oil-rich country for the past year – leading to a famine that has killed thousands and displaced millions. were expelled from their homes – just a week after the US imposed sanctions on their rival for acts it described as genocide.
Thursday’s restrictions Sudanese armed forces leader Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and a Hong Kong-based arms supplier barred them from entering or transiting the United States and restricted their access to any US assets.
That leaves both sides economically strapped in the brutal conflict, which the State Department has described as the world’s worst humanitarian crisis, but Washington’s options are limited due to strained diplomatic relations with the large African nation. External players have also been drawn into the conflict, with Egypt and the United Arab Emirates arming the rivals.
During his final press conference on Thursday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken accused the SAF of war crimes. In last week’s sanctions, the State Department accused rival Rapid Support Forces of genocide.
“The SAF has also committed war crimes and continues to target civilians,” Blinken said. “It has hindered the progress of the peace process. It has refused on several occasions to participate in the ceasefire talks that we have sought to hold, and together with RSF it has created the world’s worst humanitarian crisis Due to which people are suffering every day.” “And we firmly believe, as we said, there is no military solution to this conflict.”
Sudan says action ‘erroneous’
The government of Sudan expressed its objection to the sanctions, calling them “flawed,” “immoral” and “questionable.”
“This decision lacks basic principles of justice and fairness, relying on unbelievable pretexts,” read its statement, which was posted social media platform“It also reflects a blatant disregard for the Sudanese people, who firmly stand behind General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan as a symbol of their sovereignty and armed forces and as a courageous leader in the fight for honor against the terrorist Janjaweed militia.” Are united.”
Blinken did not address US media reports that the SAF has used chemical weapons at least twice, citing unnamed US officials. VOA’s questions to the National Security Council remained unanswered Thursday.
When asked by journalists whether both sides are equally responsible? Blink replied“As you know, the actions we took on the RSF were found to constitute genocide. The actions we’re looking at on the SAF fall within the scope of war crimes. So there are variations on these things, and we follow the law. do follow. “
At the same time, Blinken expressed regret that this conflict has increased. It has followed many of the same outlines as the Darfur conflict at the turn of the century.
“It’s, for me, yes, another real regret that when it comes to Sudan, we haven’t been able to reach that day of success,” he said.
“We will continue to work on this for the next three days and I hope the next administration will also work on this,” he said.
Hemedti approved
Last week’s sanctions targeted RSF leader Mohammed Hamdan Daglo, whom the White House named the leader of a new wave of ethnic cleansing, rape and systematic atrocities.
Dagalo, better known by his pseudonym Hemedti, was a commander of the Janjaweed militia largely responsible for the brutal Darfur conflict, in which Sudanese Arab Janjaweed militias unleashed a wave of violence on the Fur, Masalit and Zaghawa peoples of western Sudan. -Earth strategy was used. , killing at least 200,000. The scale and brutality of the violence prompted the International Criminal Court to issue its first warrant for genocide to Sudan’s then-President Omar al-Bashir.
Hemedti led the RSF as a paramilitary unit until a confrontation with government forces in April 2023, which led to the current conflict.
The State Department said the violence has left some 640,000 people at risk of famine. And the United Nations estimates that 30 million people – more than half the country’s population – need humanitarian aid,
Daniel Wallman, director of the African Security Research Project, told VOA that it is “unlikely” that the incoming Trump administration will impose further sanctions. He said the US and its allies bear some responsibility for the “conflict escalating to genocidal heights”.
“I think the United States, under both Democratic and Republican administrations, bears a great responsibility for failing to take effective action against the Bashir regime. [which created the RSF and carried out the first genocide in Darfur] and by failing to take effective action to support civil society groups fighting for a democratic government, which led to the current civil war,” he said by email. “The United States is not alone in bearing responsibility. “Russia, Iran and other countries are also arming rival forces and prolonging the conflict.”
complicating factors
And, Wallman said, the Biden administration’s decision to impose sanctions on some of Hemedti’s foreign supporters by targeting companies based in the United Arab Emirates is also a complicating factor.
He said, “Egypt and the UAE’s involvement in arming rival forces and prolonging the civil war will complicate the Trump administration’s relations with these two key allies and could prompt them to expand and escalate their military intervention in Sudan.” Is.”
Andrew Payne, lecturer in foreign policy and security at the City University of London, told VOA that at the moment, sanctions are the main tool Washington has to restrain Khartoum.
“Sanctions are a handy tool to make it appear that the administration is doing something, whether or not it is an appropriate tool to use. It is relatively cost-free to the United States. If the alternative is something for which The political will is needed, so that has to be there. … In a sense, sanctions are always the cheapest means, so a way to show that you are proactive, without having to consider more drastic measures. . Said.
