Sudan slams US move to sanction armed forces commander

PORT SUDAN, Sudan

Sudan condemned a decision Thursday by the US Treasury Department to impose sanctions on Sudanese Armed Forces leader Abdel Fattah al-Burhan.

"The Sudanese government rejects and condemns the US Treasury Department's sanctions against Sovereignty Council Chair and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

The statement said the decision lacked the "most basic principles of justice and objectivity" and stemmed from "baseless justifications."

"This decision is a great disrespect to the Sudanese people, who stand fully behind their leader, the Armed Forces, and Commander Burhan, who leads the fight for honor against the terrorist Janjaweed (Rapid Support Forces - RSF) militias," it added.

It noted that the timing of the "questionable" decision, coming after the US administration concluded that the RSF had committed genocide in Sudan, was "interesting."

"The US administration's decision to impose sanctions on the commander of the armed forces, who defends the Sudanese people against the genocide plan, just days before the administration's term ends, reflects confusion and a weak sense of confidence,” it said.

It said "this flawed decision cannot be defended under the guise of impartiality, as it essentially supports those committing genocide."

The statement underlined that this "immoral" decision would not deter the Sudanese people from resisting the "terrorist militias."

It also affirmed that the decision would not affect their determination or unity in "cleansing this cancer from their land and returning Sudan stronger than before."

The US administration recently added Burhan to its sanctions list for his role in the ongoing war in Sudan.

-US sanctions against RSF leader

On Jan. 7, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced that Washington had concluded that RSF members and allied militias were responsible for committing genocide in Sudan.

Blinken noted that the RSF and allied militias continued direct attacks on civilians, systematically killed members of certain ethnic groups, and targeted women and girls from specific ethnic communities with abuse, rape and other attacks.

Blinken also announced sanctions on RSF leader Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo for his role in these attacks and stressed the need to hold those responsible accountable.