London freezes assets of 15 Sudan commanders

The British government sanctioned 15 senior military commanders from Sudan on Monday. These individuals face travel bans and asset freezes. London attributed their actions to a campaign of rape during the siege of El Fasher.

The sanctions target leaders from both the Rapid Support Forces and the Sudanese Armed Forces. The move marks the one-year anniversary of the fall of El Fasher. Officials said the action aims to ensure the world knows what happened there.

The conflict in Sudan began in 2023. The Rapid Support Forces imposed an 18-month starvation siege on El Fasher before taking the city. During the takeover, up to 10,000 civilians were killed over two days. Another 40,000 people remain unaccounted for. The prewar population of El Fasher was over 1 million. Fewer than 70,000 residents remain.

Hussein Abu Jalak, a colonel in the Rapid Support Forces, is among those sanctioned. He is linked to atrocities during the siege that left many civilians eating animal feed. Al-Nour Ahmed Adam, also known as Al-Qubba, faces the same measures. He played a prominent role in the attack on the city. The United Arab Emirates allegedly backed the Rapid Support Forces during this period, a claim the UAE denies.

A coalition dedicated to atrocity prevention in Sudan issued a statement for the anniversary. The group said survivors would be heard and accountability would be pursued. The statement emphasized that victims would not be forgotten.

The war has evolved into a drone conflict over the past year. The Rapid Support Forces recently targeted power stations in east Sudan with coordinated drone strikes. These attacks caused mass power outages across the region. The conflict has forced 14 million people to flee their homes.