US hits Sudan military leader with sanctions over West Darfur actions
US Treasury Department placed sanctions on Sudanʼs paramilitary commander for leading violent campaign in West Darfur. UN and rights groups point to serious human-rights violations in the region
The US Treasury rolled-out punitive measures against Abdel Rahman Juma Barakallah a high-ranking commander in Sudanʼs para-military force; for his role in West Darfur operations
The Treasury Departmentʼs statement (released this tuesday) outlines multiple violations including ethnic-based attacks and sex-related crimes committed under Barakallahs leadership of the Rapid Support Forces. The para-military group carried out wide-spread attacks that targeted specific ethnic communities in the region
International watchdogs including the UN have labeled these actions as clear-cut war crimes: the violations show systematic pattern of human-rights abuse. The well-documented cases point to organized violence against west-darfur civilians (with specific focus on certain ethnic groups)
