A Sudanese woman, photographed on August 5, 2023, at her temporary shelter in Adre, Chad, displays burn scars on her hands. She claims these injuries were sustained when Rapid Support Forces set fire to the displacement camp where she resided in El Geneina.
The United States imposed sanctions on a high-ranking Sudanese military official on Tuesday, accusing him of directing human rights violations in the West Darfur region of his country. The Treasury Department sanctioned Abdel Rahman Joma'a Barakallah, a commander of Sudan's paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which the U.S. alleges is primarily responsible for the ongoing violence against civilians in Sudan.
Sudan has been embroiled in a deadly conflict since April 2023, involving the army, led by General Abdel Fattah Al Burhan, and the RSF, commanded by his former deputy, General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, also known as Hemedti. The Treasury Department stated that the RSF's operations in West Darfur were characterized by credible allegations of severe human rights abuses, including the targeting of civilians, conflict-related sexual violence, and ethnically motivated violence.
UN experts estimate that the RSF has killed between 10,000 and 15,000 people in the West Darfur town of El Geneina alone. Treasury Acting Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, Bradley Smith, emphasized the U.S. commitment to holding accountable those who perpetrate such violent acts against vulnerable civilian populations in Sudan. He also urged both sides to engage in peace talks and ensure the fundamental human rights of all Sudanese citizens.
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