ALBAWABA - The US Department of Treasury announced imposing sanctions on a Rapid Support Forces commander believed to be responsible for grave human rights abuses in Sudan's Darfur.
"The Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is sanctioning Abdel Rahman Joma’a Barakallah (Barakallah) for his leadership role in the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a primary party responsible for the ongoing violence against civilians in Sudan since April 2023," the press release reads.
According to the department, Barkalla has been "a primary party responsible for the ongoing violence against civilians in Sudan since May 2023".
Barkalla oversaw a violent campaign in West Darfur marked by serious claims of human rights abuses, including sexual and racially motivated violence, according to the report, condemning him for overseeing the "terror unleashed on the local population".
Barkalla was specifically engaged in the kidnapping and murder of Khamis Abakar, the Former Governor of West Darfur State.
Within days of the United States imposing sanctions on Barkalla, a committee of the United Nations Security Council also placed the commander on a blacklist, prohibiting him from traveling abroad and freezing his assets.
The Treasury Department said that following Executive Order 14098, Barakallah is being sanctioned for being a foreign national who is or was a leader, official, senior executive officer, or member of the board of directors of the RSF.
The Rapid Support Forces members have engaged in acts or policies that endanger Sudan's peace, security, or stability during the tenure of such a leader, official, senior executive officer, or board of directors.
