US Declares Genocide in Sudan, Sanctions RSF Leader

Facts

• The United States on Tuesday formally declared that Sudan's Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and allied militias have committed genocide during the ongoing civil war that began in April 2023.^[1]
• Secretary of State Antony Blinken has announced sanctions against RSF leader Mohammad Hamdan Dagalo (Hemedti) and seven UAE-based companies for their roles in weapons procurement and financial support.^[2]
• The conflict has resulted in over 28K deaths, forced millions to flee their homes, and created the world's largest humanitarian catastrophe, with some families reportedly resorting to eating grass in a desperate attempt to survive starvation.^[3]
• The RSF and allied militias have systematically murdered men and boys, including infants, on an ethnic basis, and deliberately targeted women and girls with rape and sexual violence. The conflict has led to widespread violence, leaving 30M people in need of humanitarian assistance.^[4][5]
• The genocide determination follows previous findings of war crimes and crimes against humanity, potentially paving the way for additional international action against the RSF and its supporters.^[2]
• The UAE has been accused of arming the RSF through various companies, including those handling gold likely smuggled from Sudan, though Emirati officials deny these allegations.^[4]

Sources: ^[1]The New York Times, ^[2]The Guardian, ^[3]US News & World Report, ^[4] Associated Press and ^[5]DW.

Narratives

• Pro-establishment narrative, as provided by Associated Press. The RSF is responsible for some of the most heinous atrocities being committed anywhere in the world today. This genocide determination and its consequent sanctions reflect crucial steps toward accountability, and could help leverage ceasefire negotiations. These actions demonstrate the international community's commitment to addressing systematic violence.
• Establishment-critical narrative, as provided by The Guardian. Despite America's attempts to take the moral high-ground, the raging violence currently afflicting the people of Sudan will not cease until the US and UK publicly condemn the UAE's role in fueling the Sudanese war. Punishing the RSF will do nothing but make the humanitarian situation more dire for the civilians caught in the midst of this brutal conflict — it is the responsibility of Western actors to challenge the UAE's efforts to secure political and economic hegemony at the cost of democracy in Sudan.