The UN Security Council has sanctioned four leaders of Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) over atrocities committed during the capture of el-Fasher in western Sudan.
Sanctioned officials include RSF deputy commander Abdul Rahim Hamdan Dagalo, Brigadier General Al-Fateh Abdullah Idris—nicknamed Abu Lulu, or the “Butcher of el-Fasher”—RSF deputy commander Gedo Hamdan Ahmed, and field commander Tijani Ibrahim.
The RSF’s October takeover of el-Fasher was among the bloodiest episodes of Sudan’s nearly three-year civil war. A UN fact-finding mission last week said the campaign showed signs of genocide.
Dagalo, brother of RSF chief Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemedti), oversaw operations on the day the city fell, during which his forces carried out mass killings and ethnically targeted executions. This marks Dagalo’s fourth sanction, following previous measures from the US, UK, and EU.
War crimes investigators from The Sentry welcomed the coordinated sanctions but warned that stronger financial penalties are needed to target the RSF and its supporting networks effectively.
Since April 2023, Sudan has been embroiled in conflict as fighting between the RSF and the army has left tens of thousands dead and triggered one of the world’s worst hunger and displacement crises. For 18 months, el-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur and the last major city in western Darfur not under RSF control, was under siege before being captured on 26 October.
The UN described the three-day campaign as “three days of horror,” including summary executions, systematic sexual violence, and mass detention, mainly affecting the Zaghawa ethnic group. Abu Lulu gained notoriety after posting graphic videos of the violence, including footage showing him ordering killings, executing civilians, and claiming responsibility for more than 2,000 deaths.
The US sanctioned Dagalo, Ahmed, and Ibrahim last week for their roles in ethnic killings, torture, starvation, and sexual violence. While the UN did not specify the sanctions, it can impose measures such as travel bans and asset freezes.
According to the UN refugee agency, more than 70,000 people have fled el-Fasher, with many civilians still trapped, missing, or detained by the RSF.
