US sanctions senior paramilitary RSF leader for fueling war crimes, atrocities in Sudan

​​​​​​​By Merve Aydogan

HAMILTON, Canada (AA) - The US announced Tuesday sanctions against Algoney Hamdan Daglo Musa, a senior Sudan's paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) leader for fueling war and atrocities against civilians.

According to a statement by the State Department, Algoney was sanctioned "for his involvement in RSF efforts to procure weapons and other military materiel that have enabled the RSF’s ongoing operations in Sudan, including its assault on El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur."

"Algoney’s actions have fueled the war and brutal RSF atrocities against civilians, which have included war crimes, crimes against humanity, and ethnic cleansing," it added.

The statement said the RSF "have continued to commit atrocities, including those involving sexual violence and ethnically targeted attacks on non-Arab groups."

The US further pledged to continue demanding accountability and said it "will continue to use the tools at its disposal to support a peace process and impose cost on those perpetuating the conflict."

Since May 10, El Fasher has been the site of clashes between the army and the RSF, despite international warnings against fighting in the city, which serves as the humanitarian operations hub for the vast western region of Darfur.

Since mid-April last year, the Sudanese army and the RSF have been engaged in a conflict that has claimed 18,800 lives and displaced around 10 million people, according to the UN.