Britain Freezes Assets of 15 Sudanese Officials in $19.9m Sanctions Package

London imposed travel bans and asset freezes on fifteen Sudanese military commanders, militia leaders, and security officials on Monday. The sanctions target figures from both the Rapid Support Forces and the Sudanese Armed Forces. The government accused these individuals of committing war crimes during the fall of El Fasher.

The UK allocated five million pounds, or 6.6 million dollars, to support survivors of sexual violence. An additional ten million pounds, or 13.3 million dollars, was designated for general humanitarian aid. These financial measures accompany the new restrictions on the targeted officials.

The announcement followed the release of reporting funded by the United Kingdom. The Centre for Information Resilience produced the investigation. It documented a campaign of systematic starvation and conflict-related sexual violence against civilians in the country. The Foreign Office cited this work as the basis for the new sanctions.

Ed Miliband, the UK Foreign Secretary, stated that perpetrators of crimes against humanity must be held accountable. He said that external support for the warring parties must end. The Foreign Office said the goal is to ensure the world knows the details of what happened in El Fasher.

Among those sanctioned is Hussein Abu Jalak, an RSF colonel linked to atrocities during the siege. Al-Nour Ahmed Adam, known as Al-Qubba, was also named. The Foreign Office identified Adam as playing a prominent role in besieging and attacking the city. The measures mark one year since El Fasher became a focal point of the conflict.

The war in Sudan began in April 2023. Amnesty International reports that tens of thousands of civilians have been killed since then. The organization also states that 14 million people have been displaced from their homes. The new sanctions list includes officials from both major factions fighting for control.

Miliband described the situation as a humanitarian catastrophe. He noted that rape and starvation are still being used as weapons against the population. The asset freezes and travel bans take effect immediately for the fifteen named individuals.