U.S. imposes sanctions on Sudan’s army chief over worsening crisis

January 16, 2025 (WASHINGTON) – The United States imposed sanctions on the head of Sudan’s army, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, on Tuesday, the Treasury Department said, holding him responsible for a worsening conflict fueling a humanitarian disaster in the northeast African nation.

The sanctions, which freeze any U.S.-based assets held by Burhan and bar Americans from dealing with him, follow similar measures taken earlier this month against the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) leader, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemetti.

However, analysts noted a key difference between the two sets of sanctions. While the January 7 measures against Hemetti explicitly stated that he and his family members were ineligible for entry into the United States, the sanctions against Burhan contained no such provision. The State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the discrepancy.

“Today’s action underscores our commitment to seeing an end to this conflict,” U.S. Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo said in a statement. “The United States will continue to use our tools to disrupt the flow of weapons into Sudan and hold these leaders responsible for their blatant disregard of civilian lives.”

The Treasury accused the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) under Burhan’s command of using lethal force against civilians, including carrying out airstrikes on schools, markets, and hospitals. It also cited the blocking of humanitarian aid and the use of food deprivation as a weapon of war. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken determined in December that members of the SAF had committed war crimes.

Famine has been declared in five regions of Sudan. The Treasury said the SAF’s and RSF’s actions are the primary drivers behind one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.

Burhan, who led a coup along with Hemetti in 2021, has been accused by Washington of obstructing a return to civilian rule and refusing to participate in international peace efforts. Under his leadership, the SAF has engaged in indiscriminate bombing campaigns and extrajudicial killings, according to the Treasury.

In his first public remarks on the sanctions, Burhan dismissed their significance and reiterated his commitment to serving Sudan.

“I heard that there are sanctions that will be imposed on the army’s leadership,” Burhan told troops in Wad Madani, according to a statement from his office. “We welcome any sanctions for the sake of serving this country. Whoever wants to impose sanctions, let them impose them.”

Alongside Burhan, the United States also sanctioned a company and an individual involved in procuring weapons for the Defence Industries System (DIS), a SAF procurement arm that was sanctioned in June 2023.

The Treasury Department said broad general licenses are in place to ensure the sanctions do not impede the delivery of humanitarian aid to Sudan. These licenses authorize transactions that would otherwise be prohibited, including those involving non-governmental organizations and providing food, medicine, and medical devices.

However, the sanctions come with a warning: violations can result in civil and criminal penalties for both U.S. and foreign persons. The Treasury also said financial institutions and others who engage in transactions with designated individuals or entities could face sanctions themselves.