UK sanctions Sudanese commanders over El Fasher “campaign of rape”

UK imposes travel bans and asset freezes on Sudanese commanders

The British Foreign Office announced on the first anniversary of the El Fasher massacre that it has sanctioned 15 senior commanders from both the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF).

The sanctions consist of a travel ban and an asset freeze, aimed at individuals the UK suspects of sexual violence during the siege that resulted in up to 10,000 civilian deaths over two days and left another 40,000 missing.

“The horrors that took place at El Fasher will be known to the world,” a Foreign Office statement read, expressing the government’s intent behind the measures.

Among those named are RSF colonel Hussein Abu Jalak, linked to atrocities during the siege, and Al‑Nour Ahmed Adam – also known as “Al‑Qubba” – identified as playing a prominent role in the attack on the city.

The Guardian earlier this year reported that internal US and UK warnings about the impending RSF assault were sidelined, and that actions that might have saved lives were not taken.

Since the fall of El Fasher, the broader Sudan conflict has forced 14 million people to flee their homes and has increasingly involved drone strikes, including a recent coordinated RSF attack on power stations that caused widespread outages in eastern Sudan.

A statement from the Coalition on Atrocity Prevention and Justice for Sudan, issued to mark the massacre’s anniversary, pledged that “the victims will not be forgotten, survivors will be heard, and we will continue to pursue accountability for those responsible.”

Life in the remaining population of fewer than 70 000 residents – down from a pre‑war figure of over 1 million – continues to be described as “horrendous,” with reports of routine detention, torture and unlawful killings.

The sanctions represent the latest international response to the ongoing violence in Sudan.