United States: Conflict Parties Committing War Crimes
The United States accused the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces of committing war crimes. In addition, the latter faces charges of "committing crimes against humanity and ethnic cleansing." The U.S. warned that further decisions will be issued if "additional information about the actions" of both parties becomes available.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated in a Wednesday press release that the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces "unleashed horrifying violence, death, and destruction across Sudan. Civilians bear the brunt of this unnecessary conflict."
He added, "Detainees have been mistreated and killed in facilities controlled by the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces. Throughout Sudan, the Rapid Support Forces and militias allied with them have terrorized women and girls through sexual violence, attacked them in their homes, abducted them from the streets, or targeted those attempting to escape to safety across borders. In the echoes of the genocide that began nearly 20 years ago in Darfur, we have seen an explosion of violence directed against some survivor communities themselves. Civilians, including the Masalit, have been hunted down and left to die in the streets, their homes set ablaze, and told they have no place in Sudan."
He emphasized that the United States is committed to "using available tools to end this conflict and cease the atrocities and other violations that deprive the Sudanese people of freedom, peace, and justice."
Blinkens statement came two days after the U.S. Treasury announced sanctions on Taha Othman Ahmed Al-Hussein, the former head of ousted President Omar al-Bashirs office, and former heads of Sudans intelligence, Salah Abdallah Mohamed Salih (Salah Gosh), and Mohamed Atta Al-Moula Abbas, who also served as the chargé daffaires at the Sudanese embassy in Washington.
The U.S. Treasury had previously imposed sanctions on Islamic leaders, including Ali Karti. In September of last year, sanctions were imposed on the second-in-command of the Rapid Support Forces, Abdul Rahim Dagolo, for committing violence and human rights violations, including targeting civilians and ethnic killings, as well as using sexual violence.
In stern language, the minister warned that the U.S. determination "provides renewed strength and urgency to African and international efforts to end the violence, address the humanitarian and human rights crisis, and work towards meaningful justice for the victims and affected communities, ending decades of impunity."
He further added that the "flow of weapons and funding to warring parties only serves to prolong the conflict that has no acceptable military solution."
Blinken urged the conflict parties to "immediately cease fighting and comply with their obligations under international humanitarian law and international human rights law," holding those responsible for atrocities accountable. He also pointed out that "the flow of weapons and funding to warring parties only serves to prolong the conflict that has no acceptable military solution."
He called on them to "commit to unhindered humanitarian access and implement confidence-building measures that can lead to a sustainable cessation of hostilities."
