“If the sanctions imposed by the United States against leaders of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) are intended to stop the war, protect civilians, or reduce displacement and war-related disasters, they are futile,” said Faisal Al-Zubair, a Sudanese political analyst.
Last Wednesday, the United States issued sanctions on two RSF commanders leading the war in Sudan, vowing pressure to stop the unit from an offensive on El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur State.
The Treasury Department said it was freezing any U.S. assets and criminalizing transactions with Ali Yagoub Gibril, Central Darfur commander of the Rapid Support Forces, and an RSF major general involved in operational planning, Osman Mohamed Hamid Mohamed.
In an interview with Radio Tamazuj on Monday, Political Analyst Al-Zubair remarked that previous US sanctions on military and civilian figures had not benefited civilians. He suggested that US sanctions are not arbitrary but aim to serve specific US interests and priorities in the region.
“For the United States, the goal is not for either side of the war to achieve a decisive victory but to maintain a balance of power between the conflicting parties,” Al-Zubair explained. He argued that sanctions on mid-level leaders, who do not control the war’s strategy, are ineffective.
In a recent Radio Tamazuj interview, US Special Envoy for Sudan Tom Perriello addressed the impact of US sanctions on Sudanese individuals. He noted, “In some cases, sanctions can have an impact, but they have not yet achieved the ultimate goal of ending the war.”
Perriello emphasized that these sanctions target individuals, not the entire country, affecting their ability to travel and conduct business globally, especially with entities linked to the US financial system. He acknowledged that some “hardliners” might underestimate the sanctions but asserted that they have “real” consequences.
Perriello admitted that sanctions alone are not a “magic solution” but are part of a broader strategy to increase the costs for those committing “atrocities.”
Since President Joe Biden took office nearly four years ago, the US has adopted a policy of individual sanctions against those involved in violations or obstructing the democratic transition in Sudan.