The United States will impose financial sanctions on Sudan’s army chief, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, on Thursday, according to three sources with direct knowledge of the matter.
The sanctions come just a week after similar measures were taken against Burhan’s rival, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, commander of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), who was accused of committing genocide and targeting civilians. Two sources indicated that the move aims to demonstrate Washington’s neutrality in the ongoing conflict.
Speaking to soldiers earlier on Thursday, Burhan appeared defiant, addressing the impending sanctions.
“I hear there’s going to be sanctions on the army leadership. We welcome any sanctions for serving this country,” he said in comments aired by Al Jazeera television.
The Sudanese army, as well as spokespeople for the U.S. State and Treasury Departments, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The Sudanese army and the RSF jointly staged a coup in 2021, ousting the country’s civilian leadership. However, tensions escalated, and the two factions turned against each other in April 2023, sparking a devastating civil war.
The conflict has killed tens of thousands, displaced millions, and left half the population facing hunger. A source, who is a diplomat, stated that the sanctions against Burhan are based on allegations of targeting civilians and infrastructure, blocking humanitarian aid, and refusing to engage in peace talks.
Dagalo, known as Hemedti, was sanctioned after U.S. authorities concluded that his forces had committed atrocities, including genocide, and carried out violent looting campaigns in RSF-controlled areas.
Efforts led by the United States and Saudi Arabia to mediate peace have repeatedly failed. The Sudanese army has refused multiple attempts at negotiation, including talks in Geneva last August aimed at improving humanitarian access.
This week, the army intensified its campaign, capturing the strategic city of Wad Madani and pledging to reclaim the capital, Khartoum. Rights groups and local residents have accused the army of indiscriminate airstrikes and revenge attacks on civilians, including incidents in Wad Madani.
The U.S. has previously determined that both the Sudanese army and RSF have committed war crimes.
