CAIRO — The United States has imposed sanctions on a commander within Sudan’s paramilitary forces, citing his significant involvement in the escalating violence against civilians in West Darfur.
The U.S. Treasury Department released a statement on Tuesday identifying Abdel Rahman Juma Barakallah as a leader of the Rapid Support Forces in West Darfur, responsible for numerous human rights violations, including acts of sexual violence and ethnically driven attacks. Both the United Nations and various international human rights organizations have categorized these acts as war crimes.
“This recent action demonstrates our determination to hold individuals accountable who orchestrate these heinous acts of violence against defenseless civilian populations in Sudan,” stated Bradley T. Smith, the acting Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence.
He also emphasized that the U.S. remains committed to endorsing an end to the conflict, urging both parties to engage in peace negotiations while safeguarding the fundamental human rights of all Sudanese citizens.
The Treasury outlined that Barakallah was also implicated in the kidnapping and murder of West Darfur’s Governor Khamis Abbakar.
The conflict in Sudan erupted in April 2023, fueled by rising tensions between military and paramilitary leaders, initially igniting in the capital, Khartoum, before spreading to other areas including Darfur. According to U.N. reports, over 20,000 individuals have lost their lives in this conflict, with more than 33,000 others suffering injuries.
The war has led to the displacement of approximately 11.6 million Sudanese, including 8.3 million displaced internally and 3.1 million who have fled to neighboring countries. Additionally, the ongoing conflict has triggered health crises and severe food shortages.
These sanctions were enacted following a recent decision by the U.N. Security Council to include Barakallah and Maj. Gen. Osman Mohamed Hamid Mohamed, head of the paramilitary’s operations, on the sanctions blacklist. Previously, Mohamed had been designated by the Treasury in May.
As a result of the U.S. sanctions, Barakallah will face restrictions on his visa rights, and any of his properties or interests located in the United States or controlled by U.S. citizens will be frozen and must be reported to the Treasury.
In a related development, last month the U.S. also imposed sanctions against Algoney Hamdan Daglo Musa, a prominent leader in the Rapid Support Forces and brother of the paramilitary commander Mohamed Hamdan Daglo. He was sanctioned for his role in spearheading efforts to supply weapons throughout the conflict. Algoney manages Tradive General Trading LLC, a UAE-based front company implicated in importing vehicles to Sudan for the Rapid Support Forces, modifying them for military use.