UN Security Council sanctions RSF commanders for atrocities in Darfur

Regulation: United Nations Sanctions on Sudanese Commanders

The United Nations Security Council has imposed sanctions on four commanders of Sudan's Rapid Support Forces (RSF) due to their involvement in activities in el-Fasher, particularly on Oct. 26, when the RSF took control of the North Darfur capital. These actions are suspected of constituting atrocities against civilians, characterized by UN experts as having "hallmarks of genocide."

These sanctions follow the United Kingdom's previous measures against the same individuals in December and a recent report by UN-backed human rights experts. The report detailed mass killings and other severe human rights violations in el-Fasher, following an 18-month siege intended to destroy non-Arab communities physically.

The individuals facing UN travel bans and financial freezes include two RSF deputy commanders, Abdul Rahim Hamdan Dagalo and Lt. Gen. Gedo Hamdan Ahmed. Dagalo was reportedly present at a base in el-Fasher during the takeover, allegedly giving orders to his fighters to execute rather than capture individuals. He has previously been identified as a key figure in RSF operations in Sudan's border regions.

The sanctioned commanders are accused of participating in widespread violence, including targeted executions and sexual violence. The UN committee reports that these acts included gang rapes and kidnappings, with medical staff being held for ransom. Ahmed and Dagalo were both captured on video during the events in el-Fasher.

Additionally, RSF Brig. Gen. Al-Fateh Abdullah Idris, known as Abu Lulu or "the Butcher of el-Fasher," and field commander Tijani Ibrahim Moussa Mohamed, also known as Al Zeir Salem, were sanctioned for their roles in the violence. Abu Lulu is accused of ordering the killing of civilians and appearing in videos executing individuals, while Tijani Ibrahim Moussa Mohamed appeared in video footage during the same period.

Based on reporting by Africanews.