London, Oct 26. (PA Media/dpa/GNA) – The UK has sanctioned senior military figures, implicated in a campaign of rape related to the conflict in Sudan.
The move targets commanders from both sides of the conflict suspected of sexual violence and other atrocities during the siege of El Fasher, which fell 12 months ago.
UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband said the perpetrators of crimes against humanity “must be held accountable and support from all external backers to the warring parties must end.”
A total of 15 commanders from both the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) have been targeted with a travel ban and asset freeze, with the broader aim of ensuring “the horrors that took place at El Fasher will be known to the world,” the Foreign Office said.
Those subject to sanctions include Hussein Abu Jalak, an RSF colonel linked to atrocities during the siege of El Fasher; and Al-Nour Ahmed Adam, also known as “al-Qubba,” who was identified as present and playing a prominent role in besieging and attacking the city.
The announcement followed the release of UK-funded reporting by the Centre for Information Resilience (CIR), which revealed a campaign of systematic starvation and conflict-related sexual violence against civilians in Sudan.
Miliband said: “The war in Sudan has created a humanitarian catastrophe. “A year on from the atrocities in El Fasher, UK-funded investigations by the Centre for Information Resilience have shown that rape and starvation are still being weaponized against the people of Sudan.
“These are crimes against our humanity, the perpetrators must be held accountable and support from all external backers to the warring parties must end. “El Niño may worsen an already desperate situation, but whether famine takes hold is in the hands of the RSF and SAF, they must stop attacking aid convoys and let food reach communities.”
The UK has allocated ÂŁ5 million ($6.6 million) to support survivors of sexual violence in Sudan, with the funding enabling services including sexual and reproductive health care, maternal health services, psychosocial support, and safe spaces for women and girls.
An additional £10 million package also supports the ongoing response to the deteriorating humanitarian situation in the country, which is facing increased risk of famine driven by attacks on markets, health facilities, displacement camps and other infrastructure – as well as obstruction of aid and El Niño-induced drought.
The funding will aim to improve access to clean water and sanitation in displacement sites around Tawila, and support essential humanitarian services in El Obeid, also spelt al-Ubayyid, where civilians are facing acute needs.
Hundreds of thousands of civilians were starved during the 18-month siege of El Fasher, which can also be spelt al-Fashir, in West Sudan.
The city, which served as a major agricultural market, fell to the RSF in October 2025. Civilians were massacred in the aftermath as women and girls were subjected to sexual violence.
CIR reporting, this week, said the tactics used during the siege are still being deployed across Sudan. This includes drone attacks on civilian infrastructure and humanitarian operations, and the obstruction of aid, with footage showing RSF fighters discussing shutting off water supplies to El Fasher and preventing traders from bringing food into the city.
The CIR described women and girls being abducted, repeatedly raped, and held in conditions amounting to sexual slavery. The UK has previously issued five previous rounds of sanctions related to the conflict.
GNA