The US has sanctioned the brother of Sudan’s paramilitary leader as tensions escalate in the ongoing conflict. The move comes as part of efforts to curb violence and human rights violations.
The United States has imposed sanctions on a high-ranking member of Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces for “orchestrating efforts” to provide weapons for the 17-month conflict, which has resulted in over 20,000 deaths and devastated the northeast African nation.
Algoney Hamdan Daglo Musa oversees Tradive General Trading LLC, a company based in the United Arab Emirates that acted as a front to import vehicles into Sudan for the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces and arm them with machine guns, according to an announcement by the U.S. Treasury Department on Tuesday. Algoney is related to RSF commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo as his brother.
In April 2023, conflict erupted in the capital city of Khartoum between the Sudanese army and the RSF, eventually spreading across Sudan.
The Treasury stated that Algoney’s actions directly contributed to the continued siege of El Fasher, the capital city of North Darfur state, by Sudanese security forces.
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Bradley T. Smith, the acting undersecretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, stated that despite efforts by entities like the United States, United Nations, African Union, and other advocates for peace, crucial figures on both sides—including Algoney Hamdan Daglo Musa—persist in acquiring weapons to conduct attacks and commit atrocities against their citizens.
The sanctions imposed on Algoney result in the blocking of all his assets and interests within the United States, or managed by U.S. citizens, requiring them to be reported to the Treasury Department. Additionally, these measures extend to any entities he owns directly or indirectly.
In the previous year, the United States implemented visa restrictions targeting Sudanese military and RSF officials. Concurrently, the White House announced plans to sanction significant defense companies that it claims are contributing to ongoing violence in Sudan.
Over 13 million individuals have been compelled to abandon their homes due to conflict. The war is characterized by horrific acts, such as mass rape and ethnically motivated killings, which the United Nations and international human rights organizations classify as war crimes and crimes against humanity.
