Sudan's rebel paramilitary group battling the nation's armed forces in a deadly civil war has slammed the United States' decision to issue sanctions against the group, its leader and allies.
In a statement shared with Newsweek, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) referred to the measures, which were announced Tuesday by Secretary of State Antony Blinken, as "regrettable and unjust," having been made "without an independent and thorough investigation to determine which party is responsible for igniting this catastrophic war and the associated violations committed by various parties during the ongoing conflict in Sudan."
Why It Matters
Sudan has been engulfed in a devastating civil war, sparking the world's worst humanitarian crisis, since tensions between the RSF and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) came to a head in April 2023, four years after the fall of longtime President Omar al-Bashir at the hands of a popular uprising.
RSF commander General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, widely known as Hemedti, accused his former ally, SAF chief and Transitional Sovereignty Council Chair Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, of strengthening the position of officials aligned with Bashir's former government after both the SAF and RSF later overthrew a short-lived civilian administration in October 2021. The two sides have clashed nationwide, leaving the capital Khartoum divided and millions displaced.
While the U.S. has accused both the SAF and RSF of war crimes, an allegation reiterated in Tuesday's announcement, Blinken said that President Joe Biden's administration also deemed the RSF and RSF-aligned Arab militias, which include the Janjaweed faction, guilty of "crimes against humanity and ethnic cleansing," rising to the level of "genocide."
Blinken said that the RSF and its allies "have systematically murdered men and boys—even infants—on an ethnic basis, and deliberately targeted women and girls from certain ethnic groups for rape and other forms of brutal sexual violence."
The Janjaweed, from which the RSF was primarily formed, was previously accused of genocide by the U.S. during the long-running war against predominantly non-Arab rebels in Sudan's Darfur region. That conflict ended with a 2020 peace agreement, yet new atrocities have been reported in line with the current strife gripping Sudan.
In response to the latest allegations, however, the RSF countered that "the decision fails to specify the group against which the alleged genocide was committed or the location of the genocide," details the group argued would be necessary to meet the standards of the 1948 Genocide Convention. Blinken did not reference this international agreement in his remarks.
The dispute plays out as the outgoing Biden administration also faces questions over its military support to Israel, which is subject to an ongoing investigation by the International Court of Justice into allegations of genocide in its war against the Palestinian Hamas movement in the Gaza Strip. Blinken declined to describe Israel's actions in Gaza as a "genocide" or "ethnic cleansing" when asked during an interview Saturday with The New York Times.
On Wednesday, a day after the determination was made against the RSF in Sudan, National Security Council Communications Director John Kirby further asserted that "there's no genocide happening from the Israeli side on Palestinians."
What to Know
The U.S. is not the only country to weigh in on the ongoing conflict in Sudan.
Reports have indicated that the United Arab Emirates was among the nations providing military assistance to the RSF, prompting repeated denials from Abu Dhabi. The allegations prompted a bipartisan letter last month from six U.S. lawmakers demanding immediate action.
In response, Biden's Middle East envoy Brett McGurk stated, "Despite reports we have received suggesting the contrary has occurred to date, the UAE has informed the Administration that it is not now transferring any weapons to the RSF and will not do so going forward.
"The Administration will work with relevant departments and agencies to monitor for indicators of the credibility and reliability of these assurances provided by the UAE," McGurk wrote. "By January 17, I commit to providing you with the executive branch's up-to-date assessment in that regard."
All six countries designated for sanctions by the Treasury Department for providing weapons or otherwise aiding the RSF were based in the UAE.
On Monday, U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Linda Thomas-Greenfield argued that Russia was "funding both sides of the conflict" despite Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov affirming Moscow's support for the Sudanese government during a visit to the country in April.
While the Central African Republic and Chad have also been accused of supporting the RSF directly or indirectly, Egypt and Iran have been reported to be backing the SAF in the conflict.
What People Are Saying
The RSF in a statement shared with Newsweek on Thursday: "The U.S. Treasury's decision has put the cart before the horse, effectively rewarding the party refusing to end the war and punishing those advocating for unity and peace. These actions not only exacerbate the current crisis, but also hinder efforts to achieve comprehensive peace in our country. They ultimately serve the interests of Islamists and the old regime in Sudan and will undoubtedly undermine the United States' role as a mediator, a role we consider critically important.
The RSF Commander has played a significant and recognized role since the December Revolution. He was instrumental in the removal of the Al-Bashir regime, thwarted the October 25th [2021] coup, supported the political process, and resisted the current war ignited by the remnants of the old regime. Moreover, he has played a major role in tribal reconciliations, combating hate speech, and working tirelessly to restore the democratic transition in Sudan, while standing against the SAF leadership's determination to cling to power by force."
The Sudanese Foreign Ministry in a statement published Wednesday: "The Ministry of Foreign Affairs appreciates the US government's conclusion that the Janjaweed militia and its allies have committed genocide in Sudan and welcomes the sanctions imposed on the militia leader, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, and seven commercial companies owned by the militia in the Emirates."
"The Ministry agrees with the statement of the US Secretary of State that Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo is responsible for the systematic atrocities against the Sudanese people that the militia continues to commit, including mass rapes, and that the commercial fronts of the militias that employ them to finance their war are located in the Emirates."
Blinken in his statement announcing the sanctions on Tuesday: "Today's action is part of our continued efforts to promote accountability for all warring parties whose actions fuel this conflict. The United States does not support either side of this war, and these actions against Hemedti and the RSF do not signify support or favor for the SAF. Both belligerents bear responsibility for the violence and suffering in Sudan and lack the legitimacy to govern a future peaceful Sudan."
What's Next
The civil war in Sudan is among several conflicts raging across the globe that President-elect Donald Trump will likely inherit when he comes to office on January 20.
Trump previously engaged with Burhan in 2020 as he led alongside then-Prime Minister Abdulla Hamdok, who was deposed in the joint SAF-RSF coup of October 2021. At the time, Trump focused on Sudan's agreement to normalize ties with Israel as part of the Abraham Accords in exchange for the U.S. removing Sudan from its list of state sponsors of terrorism.
But with hopes for a democratic transition from Bashir's 25-year rule in Sudan trampled by the subsequent military takeover and ongoing violence, and growing international intrigue surrounding the war, the incoming administration will be faced with whether or not to remain neutral in the conflict.
Newsweek has reached out to the Embassies of Sudan and the UAE to the U.S. for comment.
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