The U.S. on
Tuesday imposed sanctions on a commander of Sudan's paramilitary Rapid Support
Forces, accusing him of being involved in human rights abuses in West Darfur,
as Washington increases pressure over the war in the African nation.
The U.S.
Treasury Department in a statement said Abdel Rahman Juma Barkalla led the
RSF's campaign in West Darfur, which the department said was marked by credible
claims of serious human rights abuses, including the targeting of civilians,
conflict-related sexual violence and ethnically-motivated violence.
The action
follows sanctions imposed on Barkalla by a United Nations Security Council
committee last week and marks the latest action by Washington over the war in
Sudan, which erupted in April 2023 from a power struggle between the Sudanese
army and RSF ahead of a planned transition to civilian rule.
"Today's
action underscores our commitment to hold accountable those who seek to
facilitate these horrific acts of violence against vulnerable civilian
populations in Sudan," Bradley Smith, Treasury's acting under secretary
for terrorism and financial intelligence, said in the statement.
"The
United States remains focused on supporting an end to this conflict and calls
on both sides to participate in peace talks and ensure the basic human rights
of all Sudanese civilians," Smith said.
The war in
Sudan has produced waves of ethnically-driven violence blamed largely on the
RSF. The RSF denies harming civilians and attributes the activity to rogue
elements.
The U.N. says
nearly 25 million people - half of Sudan's population - need aid. Famine has
taken hold in displacement camps, 11 million people have fled their homes and
nearly three million of those people have left for other countries.
But the
government took nearly a day to announce the death toll, and the incident has
been little reported by state media.