US Sanctions Sudanese Paramilitary Leader Accused of Arming Ongoing War
The United States has taken a step towards holding accountable those responsible for the devastating war in Sudan, sanctioning a senior member of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) accused of arming the conflict that has claimed over 20,000 lives.
Algoney Hamdan Daglo Musa, the brother of RSF commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, was sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department on Tuesday for "leading efforts" to supply weapons for the 17-month-long war. He controls the United Arab Emirates-based company Tradive General Trading LLC, which has imported vehicles and equipped them with machine guns for the RSF.
The war, which broke out in April 2023 in the capital city of Khartoum, has spread across the country, resulting in a humanitarian crisis that has forced over 13 million people to flee their homes. The conflict has also been marked by numerous atrocities, including mass rape and ethnically motivated killings, according to the United Nations and international human rights groups.
The Treasury Department accused Algoney of directly contributing to the ongoing siege of El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur state, by Sudanese security forces. As a result, his assets and interests in the United States or controlled by U.S. citizens are blocked and must be reported to the Treasury Department. All entities he owns directly or indirectly are also subject to sanctions.
The U.S. has previously imposed visa restrictions on Sudanese military and RSF officials and has threatened to impose sanctions on major defense companies perpetuating violence in Sudan. According to Bradley T. Smith, acting undersecretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, the continued supply of weapons by individuals like Algoney undermines efforts to bring peace to the region.
As international efforts to advocate for peace in Sudan continue, it remains to be seen how the sanctions will impact the situation on the ground. For now, the US government’s action sends a strong message that those responsible for perpetuating violence in Sudan will be held accountable.
