Clarion Newschannel – Khartoum/London/Geneva, December 14, 2025
The United Kingdom imposed sanctions on four senior commanders of Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on December 12, accusing them of involvement in mass killings, systematic sexual violence including gang rape, ethnically targeted executions, abductions, arbitrary detentions, and attacks on civilians, health facilities, and humanitarian workers during and after the capture of El Fasher in North Darfur.
The targeted individuals include Abdul Rahim Hamdan Dagalo, the RSF deputy leader and brother of commander Mohamed Hamdan “Hemedti” Dagalo; Gedo Hamdan Ahmed, RSF commander for North Darfur; Al-Fateh Abdullah Idris (also known as Abu Lulu), a brigadier general; and Tijani Ibrahim Moussa Mohamed, an RSF field commander. They now face asset freezes and travel bans to the UK.
UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper described the atrocities as “so horrific they scar the conscience of the world,” citing overwhelming evidence including satellite imagery showing blood-stained sand, clusters of bodies, and mass graves where victims were burned and buried. The sanctions aim to hold perpetrators accountable amid the RSF’s alleged deliberate strategy of terror in El Fasher, which fell to the paramilitaries on October 26 after an 18-month siege.
The move follows similar actions by the European Union and aligns with international efforts to address violations in the civil war, which erupted in April 2023 between the RSF and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF). The conflict has killed hundreds of thousands, displaced millions, and triggered what the UN calls the world’s worst humanitarian crisis, with communities in Darfur facing famine.
In a related development, the UK announced an additional £21 million in humanitarian aid, bringing its total commitments to Sudan this year to £146 million. The funding will support food, shelter, health services, and protection for women and children, reaching up to 150,000 people in hard-to-access areas.
Separately, the World Food Programme (WFP) warned on December 12 that severe funding shortages will force drastic reductions in food rations starting in January 2026. Rations for communities already facing famine will drop to 70 percent of standard levels, while those at risk of famine will receive only 50 percent. Without new contributions, full pipeline breaks for food and nutrition supplies are expected by April, potentially halting assistance altogether.
WFP officials stated the agency needs $700 million to maintain operations over the next six months. The cuts come as the program struggles with logistical challenges, including access restrictions, amid escalating needs in regions like Darfur and Kordofan. The UN has appealed for $2.9 billion to aid 20 million people in Sudan, highlighting the risk of deepening malnutrition and starvation in a country where half the population faces acute food insecurity.
International observers urge immediate donor support and an end to hostilities to avert further catastrophe in the protracted crisis.
UK Targets RSF Commanders with Sanctions as WFP Warns of Imminent Food Ration Cuts in Famine-Hit Sudan
