The European Union has imposed sanctions on Abdelrahim Hamdan Dagalo, the deputy commander of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Sudan and brother of its leader, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo. The sanctions are in response to accusations of severe human rights violations.
The measures include a travel ban preventing Abdelrahim Hamdan Dagalo from entering EU member states, as well as the freezing of any assets he may hold within the bloc. A statement released by the EU on Thursday condemned the ongoing atrocities committed by the RSF in Sudan, particularly in the aftermath of the capture of El Fasher.
The EU statement emphasized that acts of ethnically motivated killings and systematic sexual violence allegedly perpetrated by the RSF could constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity.
The conflict between the Sudanese army and the RSF, which began in April 2023, has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths and displaced nearly 12 million people. The RSF seized control of El Fasher, a city in the Darfur region of western Sudan, on October 26th after an 18-month siege. Survivors have reported massacres, ethnic violence, kidnappings, rape, and sexual assault.
Reuters reported that an RSF commander stated that investigations are underway and that anyone found guilty of committing violations will be held accountable. However, the commander also claimed that reports of abuses in El Fasher have been exaggerated by the army and its allies.
The RSF has condemned the EU sanctions as unjust and lacking due process. Following a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels, Kaja Kallas, the EU’s foreign policy chief, stated that the sanctions send a clear message that the international community will pursue those responsible for human rights violations.
She also noted that the EU has agreed to increase engagement with countries contributing to the conflict in an effort to halt the flow of weapons. The ongoing conflict has triggered what the United Nations has described as the world’s largest humanitarian crisis, at a time when global aid budgets are shrinking.
