The Biden administration announced on Tuesday that it has determined Sudan's paramilitary group and its proxies are committing genocide in the country's civil war. Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that the conflict, considered the world's biggest current humanitarian catastrophe, has escalated beyond previous war crimes and ethnic cleansing determinations made in December 2023.
Blinken's statement highlighted that the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) group is engaging in genocide, leading to the imposition of sanctions on RSF leader Mohammad Hamdan Daglo Mousa, also known as Hemedti, and seven RSF-owned companies based in the United Arab Emirates.
The RSF and its affiliated militias have been accused of targeting civilians, with reports of systematic murder of men, boys, women, and girls from specific ethnic groups. Additionally, fleeing civilians have been attacked, hindering access to essential supplies and resulting in a dire humanitarian situation.
The conflict in Sudan began in April 2023 when the RSF clashed with Sudan's military, resulting in over 24,000 deaths and displacing millions of people. The country is facing famine, forcing some families to resort to eating grass to survive.
The U.S. sanctions target businesses in the UAE, including those involved in handling gold likely smuggled from Sudan. The UAE has faced allegations of arming the RSF, despite its denials. Emirati officials have not yet responded to the recent developments.
Blinken emphasized that the determination of genocide was aimed at promoting accountability for war crimes and atrocities, rather than supporting any side in the conflict. The international community continues to monitor the situation in Sudan closely.
