US Sanctions Deputy RSF Commander

The United States is imposing sanctions on the deputy commander of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) over human rights abuses, the U.S. envoy to the United Nations will announce during a trip to Chad’s border with Sudan on Wednesday.

The move to target Abdelrahim Dagalo – brother of RSF commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemedti – is the highest profile use of sanctions since conflict between the RSF and Sudan’s army broke out in mid-April and an apparent response to the dramatic violence seen in West Darfur, which the RSF is accused of perpetrating along with allied militias.

The RSF has denied the accusations by conflict monitors, rights groups and witnesses that it is behind the violence, while saying any of its soldiers found to be involved would be brought to justice.

Dagalo is the first RSF official to be sanctioned since the start of the war.

He is being sanctioned for his connection to abuses by the RSF against civilians in Sudan, including conflict-related sexual violence and killings based on ethnicity.