EU sanctions Sudanese paramilitary leader after atrocities by his forces in Darfur

The European Union has imposed sanctions on a top leader of Sudan's paramilitary group over "grave and ongoing atrocities" by his forces in the more than two-year war with the national army, including in the western Darfur region where they captured the military's final stronghold last month.

The measures announced against Abdel-Rahim Hamdan Dagalo follow similar sanctions the EU and the US have imposed on the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), the paramilitary group locked in a power struggle with the Sudanese army.

Washington imposed sanctions on Dagalo in September 2023, early on in the conflict.

Dagalo is the number two in the RSF and is the brother of its leader, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, better known as Hemedti.

The EU's Foreign Affairs Council said it imposed the measures against Dagalo over violations committed by his troops, including during last month’s seizure of el-Fasher, a key city in Darfur.

"The European Union condemns in the strongest terms the grave and ongoing atrocities perpetrated by the Rapid Support Forces in Sudan, including following the seizure of the city of el-Fasher," the Foreign Affairs Council said.

The sanctions place Dagalo under an EU-wide travel ban, freezes certain assets and prohibits him from indirect or direct profits or other resources within the 27-nation bloc, according to the European Commission.

"This sends a signal that the international community will come after those who are responsible," EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas told reporters.

"The situation is deteriorating sharply," Kallas said of the war, adding that the fall of el-Fasher "opened another devastating chapter in this war."

There was no immediate reaction from the RSF, which had besieged el-Fasher for over 18 months before taking the city from the army and effectively seizing the entire Darfur region.

RSF attacks left hundreds dead and forced tens of thousands to flee to overcrowded camps.

Anouar el-Anouni, a spokesperson for the European Commission, said that the EU is increasing the severity of its measures against both sides of the conflict in Sudan.

"This is not a drop. This is part of a gradual approach and a progressive one," el-Anouni added.

Armed power struggle

The war between the army and the RSF began in 2023, when tensions erupted between the two former allies that were meant to oversee a democratic transition after a 2019 coup unseated former President Omar al-Bashir.

Arguments arose between Hemedti and Sudan's army chief, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, over plans to merge the 100,000-strong RSF into the army and who would lead the combined new force.

There were suspicions that neither general wanted to give up their position of power and potentially lose wealth and influence.

The fighting has killed at least 40,000 people, according to the World Health Organisation, and displaced 12 million. However, aid groups say the true death toll could be many times higher.

The EU said deliberate targeting of civilians, ethnically motivated killings, systematic sexual and gender-based violence, starvation as a weapon of war and denying aid access all constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity.

The paramilitary group said on Friday it welcomes international efforts for a ceasefire, while claiming the military is the "true obstacle to achieving peace."

Earlier this month, the RSF had agreed to a humanitarian truce proposed by a US-led mediator group but the military said it would only agree to stop fighting when the RSF completely withdraws from civilian areas and disarms.