Sudan Events – Agencies
Senator Chris Van Hollen launched a scathing attack on Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia, accusing it of committing heinous crimes against women and children. During a session in the U.S. Senate, Van Hollen called for halting U.S. arms sales to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which he alleged was supplying weapons to the militia. He introduced a resolution in the Senate demanding a suspension of arms sales to the UAE.
Similarly, Democratic Representative Sara Jacobs introduced a matching proposal in the House of Representatives. However, both resolutions are expected to face significant opposition due to the longstanding view of the UAE as a critical regional security partner for successive U.S. administrations.
Humanitarian Crisis in Sudan
In his Senate remarks, Van Hollen addressed the dire humanitarian crisis in Sudan, stating:
“I rise today to discuss the ongoing horrific humanitarian situation in Sudan, where atrocities are being committed daily against innocent civilians. Since the outbreak of the brutal conflict in April 2023, approximately 11.8 million people have been displaced within Sudan, with many fleeing to neighboring countries. Over half the population—around 25 million people—faces acute food insecurity, including 13 million children, of whom 1.8 million are at risk of or facing starvation.”
Van Hollen referred to a study by the Sudan Research Group at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, estimating over 60,000 deaths in the Khartoum area alone between April 2023 and June 2024.
Shocking Statistics
The senator noted that 26,000 deaths resulted directly from violence, but highlighted a grim reality: hunger and disease are increasingly becoming the leading causes of reported fatalities across Sudan. During a Foreign Relations Committee hearing in May, U.S. Special Envoy to Sudan Tom Perriello estimated total deaths could reach 150,000.
Ending Militia Atrocities
Van Hollen called for urgent international action:
“Given the scale of this humanitarian suffering, the U.S. and the global community must do everything in our power to end the massacres and alleviate the suffering in Sudan.”
He commended Special Envoy Perriello for his continued diplomatic efforts to negotiate an end to the conflict but stressed that effective U.S. government support was critical to his mission.
“The last thing we should do is supply advanced U.S. weapons to any country contributing to the misery, suffering, and death in Sudan. Yet, this is precisely what the Biden administration proposes—to send weapons to the UAE while it supplies arms to a murderous militia in Sudan known as the Rapid Support Forces.”
Van Hollen urged Congress to block these arms sales unless the Biden administration provides credible assurances that the UAE will cease supplying weapons to the RSF.
Flashback: Sudan’s Crisis Timeline
The senator revisited the roots of Sudan’s current crisis:
“Let me step back to provide context. About three and a half years ago, in May 2021, I traveled to Khartoum with Senator Coons. At that time, Sudan was navigating a challenging transition toward democracy after the 2019 revolution ousted Omar al-Bashir’s regime.
Although progress was slow, there was hope for a better future. However, the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces turned on the newly formed civilian government in 2021.”
Sexual Violence and Humanitarian Atrocities
Van Hollen condemned the RSF for widespread sexual violence and rapes, citing observations by U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield. He highlighted the killing of children in displacement camps and described how people in Darfur awaken to the sounds of gunfire, shelling, and conflict. He noted that the RSF has exacerbated Darfur’s humanitarian crisis by besieging cities like El Fasher.
U.S.-UAE Relations
The senator acknowledged the strategic importance of U.S.-UAE relations, stating:
“America has a very significant partnership with the UAE, a key security ally in the Middle East. American companies like Microsoft are collaborating with UAE firms, such as G42, on advanced AI data centers.”
However, he argued, “This partnership does not justify approving arms sales to the UAE at a time when it is aiding and abetting ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity in Sudan.”
