Washington (Diplomat.so) - The U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) on Thursday announced sweeping sanctions against three senior commanders of Sudan's Rapid Support Forces (RSF), citing what it described as an 18-month siege and a campaign of "horrific" abuses in the city of El-Fasher, North Darfur.
The action, taken under Executive Order 14098, targets individuals accused of orchestrating killings, torture, starvation tactics, and ethnically motivated violence during the civil war that began in April 2023.
In a statement, the Treasury Department said the designated commanders led operations that tightened a blockade around El-Fasher from May 2024 until the RSF seized the city on 26 October 2025, trapping an estimated 260,000 civilians.
According to the department, RSF units and allied militias built earthen berms to cut off food and humanitarian aid, contributing to famine conditions and outbreaks of disease. The statement also referenced alleged mass executions, sexual violence, and the targeting of civilians based on ethnic and tribal identity.
U.S. Treasury Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Scott Bessent urged the RSF to agree to an immediate humanitarian ceasefire, warning that Washington "will not tolerate the ongoing campaign of terror and senseless killing in Sudan.” He added that the prolongation of the conflict risks destabilizing the wider region and creating space for extremist groups to emerge, posing "direct threats to U.S. interests.”
The three sanctioned commanders—Brig. Fath al-Rahman Abdullah Idris Adam ("Abu Lulu”), Maj. Gen. Jedo Hamdan Ahmed Mohamed ("Abu Shouk”), and field commander Tijani Ibrahim Musa Mohamed ("al-Zeer Salem”)—stand accused of directing attacks on civilians, including women and children, as well as assaults on schools, hospitals, and places of worship. OFAC said the designations follow coordinated actions by the United Kingdom in December 2025 and the European Union in January 2026, signaling expanding international alignment on Sudan.
Under the sanctions, all property and interests belonging to the individuals in the United States or under U.S. jurisdiction are frozen, and American persons are barred from conducting transactions with them. Treasury officials also warned that financial institutions engaging with sanctioned entities could face civil or criminal exposure. The department noted that the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) offers monetary rewards for tips leading to penalties exceeding $1 million.
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