The United States has charged the Sudanese paramilitary group Rapid Support Forces (RSF) with committing genocide and has enacted sanctions against its leader.
On Tuesday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, commonly referred to as Hemedti, is facing repercussions for his involvement in “systematic” atrocities inflicted upon the Sudanese populace during the 20-month-long conflict.
Blinken highlighted that the RSF and its allied militias are accountable for the killings of “men and boys – including infants,” as well as for severe sexual violence against women based on ethnic identity.
He further noted that these militias have targeted civilians attempting to flee and have murdered innocent individuals escaping the violence.
“Based on this information, I have now concluded that members of the RSF and allied militias have committed genocide in Sudan,” he stated.
In reaction, the RSF has accused the United States of hypocrisy and of inadequately addressing the ongoing crisis.
“The decision… reflects the failure of the [US President Joe] Biden administration to effectively manage the Sudanese crisis and the double standards it has employed [in relation to the crisis],” remarked Hemedti’s adviser, El-Basha Tbaeq, in a post on his X account.
He further indicated that this could exacerbate the Sudanese crisis and obstruct negotiations aimed at resolving the underlying issues of the conflict.
The RSF has been engaged in conflict with the Sudanese military since April 2023, prompting increasing concern regarding its actions during the war.
The United States has previously concluded that the RSF and various militias have committed war crimes, crimes against humanity, and acts of ethnic cleansing in the western Darfur region, where the group is alleged to have specifically targeted and killed non-Arab individuals.
Atrocities have been reported on both sides, resulting in one of the most severe humanitarian crises globally.
In May, Tom Perriello, the US special envoy for Sudan, indicated that estimates suggested as many as 150,000 individuals may have lost their lives due to the conflict.
Famine has been declared in multiple regions of the country, with approximately 24.6 million people—nearly half of the population—urgently requiring food assistance, according to experts.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that neither the RSF nor the Sudanese military is suitable to govern Sudan. He remarked, “Both belligerents bear responsibility for the violence and suffering in Sudan and lack the legitimacy to govern a future peaceful Sudan.”
