Saudi Arabia pushes Washington to designate the Rapid Support Forces as a terrorist organization and impose sanctions on the UAE
The foreign affairs and defense correspondent for the U.S. PBS network, Nick Schifrin, revealed that the Saudi leadership directly asked U.S. President Donald Trump to add the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) to the terrorism lists—described as one of Riyadh’s “top demands” during the Saudi Crown Prince’s meeting with the U.S. president in Washington.
According to information aired on the NewsHour program, Saudi Arabia views the designation of the RSF as a terrorist organization as a humanitarian and security necessity, given the widespread abuses committed by the militia in Darfur and Khartoum. Riyadh believes that the militia’s continued external support—particularly from the UAE—remains the biggest obstacle to any pathway toward ending the war in Sudan.
U.S. sources say that Saudi Arabia informed the U.S. administration that such a designation would be a game changer, as it would subject any actor providing funding or weapons to the militia to immediate U.S. sanctions, significantly limiting the RSF’s ability to sustain its military operations inside Sudan.
The report also notes that Saudi Arabia requested that Washington impose secondary sanctions on the UAE for its logistical and military backing of the RSF, arguing that halting this support is the primary condition for any successful peace process or humanitarian arrangements in Sudan.
These developments come amid growing international pressure on parties involved in the conflict, and increasing calls within the U.S. Congress to designate the RSF as a terrorist organization—especially after the El-Fasher massacre and subsequent UN reports describing acts of genocide.
