Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Praises Sanctions on Three Militia Leaders

The Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Senator Jim Risch, praised the sanctions imposed on three leaders of the Rapid Support Forces militia, affirming his full support for this measure against those who committed atrocities against civilians in Darfur.

Senator Risch said in a tweet on his official account: “I commend the Trump administration’s sanctions on three Rapid Support Forces leaders involved in genocide, for committing atrocities during the siege of El Fasher in North Darfur.”

The senator stressed the necessity of ending the war in Sudan. He added in his tweet: “I strongly support these measures to hold accountable those responsible for this war, the widespread destruction inflicted on the country, and the atrocities committed to terrorize civilians and exterminate communities.”

The U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) imposed sanctions on Thursday on three Rapid Support Forces (RSF) commanders for their actions in El Fasher.

The Treasury Department stated that these individuals were involved in the 18-month siege of El Fasher, which ended with its fall, during which the militias waged a brutal campaign of ethnic cleansing, torture, starvation, and sexual violence.

It noted that since the outbreak of the war in April 2023, the RSF and its allied militias have committed widespread atrocities, including war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bisent said, “We will not tolerate this ongoing campaign of terror and senseless killing in Sudan. Without a swift end, the war in Sudan threatens to further destabilize the region, creating conditions for the growth of terrorist groups and threatening U.S. security and interests.”