Britain sanctions Sudanese commanders over El Fasher sexual violence

Summarised from 3 outlets · Updated 26 Oct, 15:19 · Archive

The UK has sanctioned 15 Sudanese military commanders accused of sexual violence during the siege of El Fasher.

The British government has sanctioned military leaders from both sides of Sudan's conflict whom it suspects of sexual violence during the siege of El Fasher. The 15 commanders, from the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), have been subjected to travel bans and asset freezes. The Foreign Office said it hoped the action would ensure 'the horrors that took place at El Fasher will be known to the world'.

During the RSF's takeover of the city, up to 10,000 men, women and children are believed to have been slaughtered over two days – described as the fastest and largest massacre of civilians this century. Another 40,000 remain unaccounted for. The killings came at the end of an 18-month starvation siege by the RSF, which was allegedly backed by the United Arab Emirates. The UAE continues to deny supporting the RSF.

Among those targeted is Hussein Abu Jalak, an RSF colonel linked to atrocities during the siege. Fewer than 70,000 people are believed to remain in El Fasher, compared with a prewar population of more than 1 million. Life inside the city continues to be marked by routine detention, torture and unlawful killings.

How it is being reported

• UK sanctions Sudanese military leaders implicated in El Fasher ‘campaign of rape’Commanders suspected of sexual violence during the largest and fastest slaughter of civilians in more than 30 years have been subjected to travel ban and asset freeze Senior Sudanese commanders implicated in a “campaign of rape” have been targeted by the UK on the first anniversary of a mass atrocity that saw tens of thousands of civilians killed over several days. A year after the fall of El Fasher , the British government said it had sanctioned military leaders from both sides in the country’s ongoing conflict whom it suspected of sexual violence during the siege of the city. Continue…Guardian World · 26 Oct, 15:07
• Britain sanctions warlords accused of rape in SudanAt least 15 commanders on both sides of the conflict accused of weaponising sexual violence during the siege of El FasherThe Telegraph · 26 Oct, 13:30
• UK sanctions senior Sudanese commanders 'implicated in rape campaign'Senior Sudanese commanders allegedly implicated in a campaign of rape during the country's conflict have been sanctioned by the UK government.Sky News · 26 Oct, 11:27

In this story: United Kingdom · Sudan · El Fasher · Rapid Support Forces · Sudanese Armed Forces · Hussein Abu Jalak · United Arab Emirates

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