Britain has imposed sanctions on 15 Sudanese figures, including military commanders, militia leaders and security officials from both sides of the country’s ongoing civil war. The UK Foreign Office said they are accused of war crimes during the fall of the city of el-Fasher.
Commanders from the Rapid Support Forces and the Sudanese Armed Forces were targeted for sexual violence, torture and attacks on civilians. The measures include travel bans and asset freezes. The Foreign Office said the broader goal is to ensure that “the horrors that took place at El Fasher will be known to the world”.
Named commanders and their alleged roles
Among those sanctioned is Hussein Abu Jalak, an RSF colonel linked to atrocities during the siege of el-Fasher. The Foreign Office also named Al-Nour Ahmed Adam, known as “al-Qubba”, who it said was present and played a prominent role in besieging and attacking the city.
The announcement followed UK-funded reporting by the Centre for Information Resilience. According to the Foreign Office, that work revealed a campaign of “systematic starvation and conflict-related sexual violence against civilians in Sudan”.
Miliband calls for accountability and an end to outside support
On Monday, Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband said those who committed crimes against humanity “must be held accountable”. He also said support from all external backers to the warring parties must end.
The sanctions come a year after el-Fasher fell. The city had become a focal point of the war last year, as civilians endured a prolonged siege, mass killings, widespread sexual violence and attacks on hospitals, according to reports cited in the source. Miliband said the war had created a humanitarian catastrophe, and that UK-funded investigations showed rape and starvation were still being used as weapons against Sudanese people.
UK funding and the civilian toll
The Foreign Office said the UK has allocated five million pounds ($6.6m) to support survivors of sexual violence in Sudan. Another 10 million pounds ($13.3m) has been set aside for humanitarian aid.
Amnesty International said tens of thousands of civilians have been killed and 14 million people displaced since the war broke out in April 2023.
