The United Kingdom has imposed sanctions on senior Sudanese military commanders accused of orchestrating a campaign of sexual violence during the siege and fall of El Fasher, marking the first anniversary of a mass atrocity that resulted in thousands of civilian deaths. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office announced measures against 15 military figures from both the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), including travel bans and asset freezes.

The sanctions target key leaders believed to have played significant roles in the violence committed during the RSF’s takeover of El Fasher, an event that saw up to 10,000 civilians — including men, women, and children — killed over a two-day period. The massacre marked one of the deadliest and swiftest mass killings of civilians in recent decades. An estimated 40,000 individuals remain unaccounted for.

The assault followed an 18-month siege reportedly imposed by the RSF, which reduced the city's population from over one million to fewer than 70,000 residents. During the siege, civilians reportedly endured extreme deprivation and had to subsist on animal feed. The United Arab Emirates has been accused of backing the RSF during the siege, an allegation the UAE denies.

Among those sanctioned is Hussein Abu Jalak, an RSF colonel linked to atrocities that contributed to the humanitarian crisis inside El Fasher. Another is Al-Nour Ahmed Adam, known by the nom de guerre “Al-Qubba,” who is recognized as a prominent figure in the assault on the city. Testimonies emerging from El Fasher describe ongoing reports of arbitrary detention, torture, and unlawful killings.

Earlier this year, investigations revealed that warnings from both British and U.S. intelligence agencies about an imminent RSF assault were reportedly ignored, and that failure to act may have contributed to the scale of the devastation.

A coalition supporting atrocity prevention and justice for Sudan said in a statement on the anniversary that the victims will not be forgotten and that efforts to hold those responsible accountable will continue.

Meanwhile, the conflict in Sudan has escalated over the past year into a drone war, with recent strikes by the RSF causing widespread power outages across eastern Sudan after coordinated attacks on power stations. The prolonged conflict has displaced approximately 14 million people and continues to exacerbate the country’s humanitarian crisis.