The commander of South Sudan’s Presidential Guard, also called the Tiger Battalion, as well as defected general Peter Gadet, have been named by the United States government as the first South Sudanese to face US sanctions.

Last month the US President authorized his cabinet officials to take measures to seize assets and impose travel bans on individuals in South Sudan responsible for human rights abuses or for inhibiting peace efforts. Though the sanctions have force only under US law, the US government may seek to gain European Union or UN Security Council endorsement of the same.

Today the US Treasury Department added Major General Marial Chanuong Yol Mangok, born in Yirol in 1960, to the list of Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons, which is a list kept by department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).

OFAC also named to the list rebel General Peter Gadet Yaak, born in Mayom County sometime between 1957 and 1959.

US Secretary of State John Kerry in remarks on Tuesday called the two generals “individuals responsible for perpetrating unthinkable violence against civilians.” 

He said that the commander of the presidential guard unit “has led violent attacks against civilians in Juba.” He was referring to the events in Juba of 15-18 December.

Gadet, for his part, was selected for leading the April 17 attack against Bentiu during which more than 200 civilians were killed, according to Kerry.

Photo: SPLA Major General Marial Chanuong Yol, Commander of the Presidential Guard, visits an ammunition storage room in Juba, 21 December 2013. (Reuters/Goran Tomasevic)

Related coverage:

'US condemns offensives by South Sudan government forces' (6 May)

Barack Obama authorizes sanctions against South Sudanese leaders (3 April)