The US has sanctioned the leader of the Sudanese Armed Forces, Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, over lethal attacks on civilians, including airstrikes against protected infrastructure including schools, markets, and hospitals.
The Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced on its website on Thursday that Burhan was being sanctioned alongside Ahmad Abdalla, a Sudanese-Ukrainian national and an official of the Defense Industries System (DIS),) and Portex Trade Limited, a Hong Kong-based company controlled by Abdalla.
“As a result of today’s action, all property and interests in property of the designated persons described above that are in the United States or in the possession or control of US persons are blocked and must be reported to OFAC.
“In addition, any entities that are owned, directly or indirectly, individually or in the aggregate, 50 percent or more by one or more blocked persons are also blocked,” reads the sanctions statement.
It goes on to state that unless authorized by a general or specific license issued by OFAC or exempt, US sanctions generally prohibit all transactions by Americans or within the United States that involve any property or interests in property of designated or otherwise blocked persons.
The latest sanctions follow similar action against the leader of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), Mohammad Hamdan Dagalo Mousa (Hemedti), on January 7, 2025.
“Today’s action underscores our commitment to seeing an end to this conflict,” said Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Wally Adeyemo.
“The United States will continue to use our tools to disrupt the flow of weapons into Sudan and hold these leaders responsible for their blatant disregard of civilian lives.”
Violations of US sanctions may result in the imposition of civil or criminal penalties on US and foreign persons. OFAC may impose civil penalties for sanctions violations on a strict liability basis.
OFAC’s Economic Sanctions Enforcement Guidelines provide more information regarding the enforcement of US economic sanctions. In addition, financial institutions and other persons may risk exposure to sanctions for engaging in certain transactions or activities.
In October 2021, Burhan and Hemedti co-led a military takeover that seized power from Sudan’s civilian-led transitional government. The two later fell out, occasioning the outbreak of the current war in April 2023.
Burhan has since refused to participate in international peace talks to end the fighting.
OFAC said it had issued broad general licenses (GLs) that authorize certain categories of transactions otherwise prohibited under E.O. 14098 in order to ensure that the sanctions do not impede the delivery of humanitarian assistance in Sudan.