The UK government has imposed new sanctions against six people suspected of committing atrocities in the war in Sudan, or fuelling the conflict through the supply of mercenaries and military equipment.
The sanctions crack down on senior commanders in the paramilitary group the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), whose soldiers are suspected of carrying out massacres against the civilian population and using rape as a weapon of war.
They also target people who are suspected of recruiting foreign fighters to take part in the conflict, or facilitating the purchase of military equipment.
There needs to be a “price to pay” for military commanders who have allowed the atrocities to happen, as well as the “callous profiteers” fuelling the violence, Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said.
The Government wants to “dismantle the war machine” with its sanctions, while calling for a ceasefire and unhindered access for aid agencies, she said.
The measures come after Ms Cooper’s visit to the Sudanese border in Chad, where she met refugees who have fled violence, including women and girls who have been the victims of sexual assault and rape.
The foreign secretary said on Thursday: “At the Sudan-Chad border this week, I met women and children who have suffered unimaginable violence, and barely escaped with their lives.
“For their sake, and the millions of other civilians caught in the middle of this conflict, we urgently need a ceasefire, and safe access for humanitarian relief agencies to reach all those in need.
“But we also need to ensure that there is a price to pay for the military commanders who have allowed these atrocities to take place, and the callous profiteers who have fuelled this conflict with the supply of mercenaries and weaponry.
“Through these sanctions, we will seek to dismantle the war machine of those who perpetrate or profit from the brutal violence in Sudan, and we will send a message to every individual responsible for commanding these armies and committing these atrocities that they will one day be held to account.”
The UK has sanctioned Hussein Barsham, an RSF field commander who the Government said is responsible for mass atrocities including ethnic violence, forced displacement, and attacks on civilians, especially in Darfur.
Also on the list of sanctioned individuals is Abu Aqla Mohamed Kaikal, a SAF military commander and leader of the Sudan Shield Forces who is said to be responsible for atrocities committed in early 2025 in Gezira state.
Also designated is Mustafa Ibrahim Abdel Nabi Mohamed, director of UK-sanctioned al-Khaleej Bank, a majority shareholder of Shield Protective Solutions Co Ltd (Sudan) and a financial adviser to the leader of the RSF, suspected of helping the illicit financing of the RSF’s military campaign.
Also sanctioned are Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, Mateo Andres Duque Botero and Alvaro Andres Quijano Becerra, who are all believed to be involved in the recruitment of former Colombian military personnel to train and fight for the RSF.
The measures follow sanctions on 12 December against four RSF commanders suspected of responsibility for atrocities.
