Washington Wields the Sword of Resolution Against the Militias

Months after the outbreak of war between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), the United States has begun employing sanctions as a tool against those committing gross violations and war crimes, aiming to end the conflict that erupted on April 15, 2023. U.S. sanctions have targeted key leaders of the RSF, although its leader, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemetti), was not sanctioned until the war approached its second anniversary.

Just days before the end of his term, U.S. President Joe Biden and his administration took more decisive steps regarding the atrocities committed by the RSF. These actions appeared to follow pressure from prominent members of Congress urging stricter measures against the RSF’s crimes against civilians in Sudan. The U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) imposed sanctions on Hemetti under Executive Order (E.O.) 14098 for destabilizing Sudan and undermining its democratic transition.

The U.S. Treasury stated, “For nearly two years, Hemetti’s RSF forces have been engaged in a brutal armed conflict with the Sudanese Armed Forces to control Sudan. This has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths, the displacement of 12 million Sudanese, and widespread famine.”

The statement added that OFAC had also sanctioned seven companies and one individual associated with the RSF. “The RSF’s ability to procure military equipment and generate funding continues to fuel the conflict in Sudan,” the statement read.

Among those targeted was Capital Tap Holding L.L.C., based in the UAE, which provided funds and weapons to the RSF.

Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Wally Adeyemo said, “The U.S. continues to call for an end to this conflict, which endangers the lives of innocent civilians.” He added, “The Treasury Department remains committed to using all tools available to hold accountable those responsible for violating the human rights of the Sudanese people.”

Secretary of State Antony Blinken confirmed that the RSF committed acts of genocide in Darfur during the war.

The U.S. sanctions were not limited to Hemetti but extended to entities connected to him. These sanctions were imposed due to their role in destabilizing Sudan and committing gross human rights violations.

On Tuesday, Secretary Blinken announced that the RSF had perpetrated genocide, war crimes, and ethnic cleansing in Darfur.

OFAC imposed sanctions on several individuals and entities linked to the RSF’s operations, including:

Abu Dhar Abd Al-Nabi Habib Allah Ahmed, owner and director of Capital Tap Holding L.L.C.

Subsidiaries of Capital Tap Holding L.L.C. in the UAE, including Capital Tap Management Consultancies L.L.C., Capital Tap General Trading L.L.C., Creative Python L.L.C., AZ Gold for Gold and Jewelry Trading L.L.C., Next Generation General Trading L.L.C., and Horizon Advanced Solutions General Trading L.L.C.

According to the U.S. Treasury, these entities provided financial and logistical support to the RSF, including arms supplies and gold smuggling to fund their activities.

Under Hemetti’s leadership, the RSF committed widespread atrocities, including sexual violence, ethnically motivated killings, and systematic denial of humanitarian aid. The sanctions freeze all assets under U.S. jurisdiction and prohibit transactions with sanctioned individuals and entities.

In a separate statement, Secretary Blinken explicitly accused the RSF of committing genocide.

“On April 15, 2023, the Sudanese Armed Forces and the RSF began an unprecedented brutal conflict, leading to the world’s largest humanitarian disaster. This left 638,000 Sudanese facing the worst famine in modern Sudanese history, over 30 million people in need of humanitarian aid, and tens of thousands dead,” Blinken said.

“In December 2023, I concluded that members of the Sudanese Armed Forces and the RSF committed war crimes. I also confirmed that RSF members and allied Arab militias committed crimes against humanity and ethnic cleansing,” he added.

Blinken continued, “The RSF and allied militias have continued their direct attacks on civilians. They have systematically killed men and children, including infants, on ethnic grounds, and targeted women and girls from specific ethnic groups with rape and other forms of brutal sexual violence. These militias have also attacked fleeing civilians, killing those trying to escape, and blocked access to essential supplies for those left behind.”

Blinken concluded, “Based on this information, I now determine that members of the RSF and allied militias have committed genocide in Sudan.”

The United States reaffirmed its commitment to holding those responsible for these atrocities accountable. “Today, we are imposing sanctions on RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo Musa, known as Hemetti, for his role in the systematic atrocities committed against the Sudanese people. We are also sanctioning seven RSF-owned companies based in the UAE and one individual for their roles in supplying weapons to the RSF. Additionally, Hemetti has been designated under Section 7031(c) for his involvement in gross human rights violations in Darfur, particularly mass rapes of civilians by RSF soldiers under his command. As a result of this designation, Hemetti and his immediate family members are now ineligible to enter the United States.”