The US has imposed sanctions on Sudan’s army chief, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, claiming he prolongs a viciously brutal war that has brought tens of thousands of lives lost and millions displaced. It is the latest move in a series of efforts that Washington has taken to reign in the humanitarian crisis in Sudan.
The administration of US President Joe Biden has targeted those responsible for the violence. The US Treasury Department released a statement Thursday explaining why the sanctions had been placed: Burhan had led the current civil war in Sudan.
In his leadership of the Sudanese military were tactics such as indiscriminate bombing of civilian infrastructure, attacks on schools, markets, and hospitals, and also extrajudicial executions. Since April 2023, this war has brought more suffering on the country; half of its population is said to be experiencing hunger.
“Under Burhan’s leadership, the Sudanese army’s tactics have devastated civilian life, while his refusal to engage in meaningful negotiations has prolonged the conflict,” said a Treasury Department spokesperson. The US also extended sanctions to individuals and entities involved in supplying weapons to the army, including a Sudanese-Ukrainian national and a Hong Kong-based company, freezing their US assets and barring American citizens from conducting transactions with them.
Sanctions On Rival Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo
This round of sanctions was issued one week after Sudan’s rival paramilitary leader, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, was sanctioned on the same grounds. The US has accused the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which the latter leads, of genocide and violent looting campaigns against areas it controls. Dagalo, also known as Hemedti, has committed many human rights abuses, including attacking civilians in war-torn regions in Sudan.
By sanctioning both Burhan and Dagalo, Washington is trying to convey that it does not take sides in the conflict. Yet, both sides of the war have refused to enter into any peace talks, and the US has had an uphill task to get both parties to the negotiating table. The dual approach in sanctions reflects the stance of the Biden administration: accountability for violence should cut across both military factions.
Sudan’s Foreign Ministry Defiant
To the sanctions imposed, Sudan’s army-aligned foreign ministry issued a statement condemning measures by the United States as “immoral” and lacking basic foundations of justice and transparency.” The ministry argued that Burhan’s actions represented defense of Sudanese people from a “genocidal plot” and that this move misrepresented their efforts to stay stable.
This brought Burhan out on live TV stating defiantly with regard to threatened sanctions, “We welcome any sanctions for serving this country,” still indicating his stubbornness in stopping the military action.
Failure Of Diplomatic Efforts
The US has tried numerous times to mediate peace between the Sudanese army and the RSF, often in collaboration with international partners such as Saudi Arabia. Yet, these attempts have been generally unsuccessful. Recently, a round of talks scheduled in Geneva in August 2024 to ease the flow of humanitarian aid into Sudan collapsed after the army refused to engage meaningfully.
Instead of negotiations, the Sudanese army has stepped up its military campaigns. This week, it captured the strategic city of Wad Madani, which has been battered by airstrikes and revenge attacks on civilians. Reports from local rights organizations and residents accused the army of indiscriminate bombing campaigns that claimed the lives of many civilians.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken expressed regret over the lack of progress in ending the fighting during his tenure, acknowledging that he had failed to bring an end to the violence. He pointed out that while there was an improvement in getting humanitarian assistance into Sudan, abuse, suffering, and instability still persist.
Blinken emphasized the point that even when he finishes his service, the US would continue demanding peace and underlined that diplomatic pressure should not cease on the warring parties.
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