UN Sanctions 4 RSF So-Called Leaders Over Genocide Claims

The U.N. Security Council’s decision to sanction f4 RSF so-called leaders marks a calibrated escalation of international pressure on the paramilitary militia, linking individual accountability to documented atrocities in Darfur.

The move follows a report by U.N.-backed human rights experts who concluded that violence in el-Fasher showed “hallmarks of genocide,” reinforcing concerns over the conduct of the RSF in Sudan’s war, which began in 2023.

Those sanctioned now face travel bans and asset freezes. The designations focus on actions in el-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, particularly events surrounding Oct. 26, when UAE-linked RSF militants seized the city after an 18-month siege.

U.N. officials said several thousand civilians were killed during the takeover. Only 40% of the city’s estimated 260,000 residents managed to flee, leaving the fate of the majority unclear.

Among those listed in the sanction are Abdul Rahim Hamdan Dagalo and Lt. Gen. Gedo Hamdan Ahmed. The Security Council committee monitoring Sudan sanctions said Dagalo was present at a base in el-Fasher on the day of the assault.

“Footage believed to be of Dagalo shows him giving direct orders to his fighters to not take captives but to kill everyone,” the committee stated.

The committee cited video material and witness accounts describing targeted executions of non-Arab civilians. It also referenced reports of widespread sexual violence, including gang rapes carried out in front of family members, as well as kidnappings and the detention of medical staff for ransom.

Ahmed, also known as Abu Nashuk, was described as one of six figures active in el-Fasher on Oct. 26 and was seen in footage alongside Dagalo.

Brig. Gen. Al-Fateh Abdullah Idris, known as Abu Lulu and labeled by the committee as “the Butcher of el-Fasher,” was sanctioned as “a key perpetrator.” The U.N. committee said: “He gave orders to his men to kill innocent people.”

It added that videos showed him executing civilians and “boasting about killing over 2,000 people.”

Tuesday’s U.N. measures align with sanctions imposed by the United Kingdom in December on the same four commanders, suggesting a widening convergence among Western governments.

Cameron Hudson, a former U.S. diplomat and Sudan expert, said the sanctions represent “an important step in the U.N. reasserting a role for itself in Sudan.” He urged broader action, calling on the U.N. to “sanction the entire group as what they are: terrorists.”

The Security Council’s latest step signals a renewed emphasis on individual command responsibility amid continuing allegations of systematic abuses.