U.S. Sanctions Sudan's Armed Forces Commander Burhan

SUDAN NEWS AGENCY, Sudan Embassy

General Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, chairman of the Transitional Sovereign Council of the Republic of Sudan, left, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemedti), commander of the Rapid Support Forces

16 January 2025

The Sentry (Washington, DC)

Washington, DC — Today, the US imposed sanctions on Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, the commander of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), citing actions including “indiscriminate bombing of civilian infrastructure, attacks on schools, markets, and hospitals, and extrajudicial executions.”

The new sanctions designations by the US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) follow the designation of the leader of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), Mohammad Hamdan Daglo Mousa (known as “Hemedti”), and an official designation of genocide taking place in Sudan.

John Prendergast, co-founder of The Sentry, said: "Having recently sanctioned the leader of the paramilitary RSF, General Hemedti, it was critical that the US also sanction the leader of the Sudanese army, as they have both overseen massive human rights violations and deep-seated corruption.  In the end, when the death tolls are tallied, General Burhan may be responsible for more deaths than anyone in Sudan due to his obstruction of humanitarian aid as a famine has unfolded.  Now the European Union, UK and others concerned about Sudan's plight should follow the US lead and impose sanctions on Hemedti and Burhan as well."

Brian Adeba, Senior Advisor at The Sentry, said: “The sanctioning of the leader of the Sudan Armed Forces is a significant move in the right direction. Sadly, as atrocities committed by the Sudan Armed Forces continue in offensives in central Sudan now, it is a stark reminder that such errant military leaders are still at work committing mass murder. This action should cajole the international community to activate international mechanisms designed to hold war criminals accountable as well as doubling efforts to bring the war in Sudan to a quick end to protect civilian lives.”

In addition, OFAC also sanctioned one company and one individual involved in weapons procurement in the Sudan conflict.

Read the US Department of Treasury’s sanctions announcement: https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/jy2789

For media inquiries, please contact: Greg Hittelman, Director of Communications, [email protected]

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