The European Union has taken decisive action against Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), imposing sanctions on its second-in-command, Abdel-Rahim Hamdan Dagalo, over what it described as "grave and ongoing atrocities" committed during the country’s protracted civil conflict. This move, announced on November 21, 2025, marks a significant escalation in international efforts to hold leaders accountable for the violence that has engulfed Sudan since 2023.
The conflict, which erupted after a fragile alliance between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the RSF collapsed, has left a devastating toll. According to the World Health Organization, at least 40,000 people have been killed and 12 million displaced, though aid organizations warn the actual death toll may be far higher. The power struggle traces its roots to the aftermath of Sudan’s 2019 coup, which toppled longtime ruler Omar al-Bashir. The RSF and the army, once partners in a planned democratic transition, became bitter foes over disagreements about merging the RSF’s 100,000-strong force into the national military and, crucially, who would command the unified body.
Last month, the RSF seized the North Darfur capital, el-Fasher, after a siege that stretched for 500 days—an event that signaled a new and harrowing chapter in the war. Eyewitnesses and humanitarian organizations described scenes of chaos as RSF fighters swept through the city, going house to house, killing and sexually assaulting civilians. The European Union, in its official statement, condemned not only the deliberate targeting of civilians and ethnically motivated killings but also systematic sexual and gender-based violence, the use of starvation as a weapon of war, and the denial of humanitarian aid. These actions, the EU asserted, constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity.
“Let’s start from the start, the EU has condemned in the strongest possible terms, the grave and ongoing atrocities perpetrated by the Rapid Support Forces,” said Anouar El Anouni, the EU Commission spokesperson, during a press briefing in Brussels. He emphasized, “In response to these crimes, yesterday the EU adopted sanctions against Abdel-Rahim Hamdan Dagalo, the second in command of the RSF. This sends a strong signal that the international community will come after those who are responsible.”
The sanctions are comprehensive: Dagalo faces an EU-wide travel ban, asset freezes, and a prohibition on profiting directly or indirectly from resources within the 27-nation bloc. The measures mirror earlier steps taken by the United States, which sanctioned Dagalo back in September 2023, as well as previous EU and US sanctions on the RSF as an organization. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas reinforced the message, stating, “This sends a signal that the international community will come after those who are responsible.” She warned that “the situation is deteriorating sharply,” and described the fall of el-Fasher as having “opened another devastating chapter in this war.”
Despite the mounting pressure, the RSF’s response has been defiant, if somewhat muted. In a statement posted to its Telegram channel, the group did not address the sanctions directly. Instead, it welcomed international efforts for a ceasefire and placed the blame for the ongoing violence squarely on the military, calling it “the true obstacle to achieving peace.” This sentiment was echoed earlier in November, when the RSF agreed to a humanitarian truce proposed by a US-led mediation group. However, the Sudanese Armed Forces rejected the ceasefire, insisting that the RSF must withdraw from civilian areas and disarm before any cessation of hostilities could be considered.
The humanitarian crisis in Sudan continues to worsen. In the wake of the RSF’s capture of el-Fasher—previously the military’s last stronghold in Darfur—hundreds of civilians have been killed, and tens of thousands have fled to already overcrowded camps. Aid access remains severely restricted, with reports of starvation being used as a weapon of war. The EU’s Foreign Affairs Council was unambiguous in its condemnation: “The European Union condemns in the strongest terms the grave and ongoing atrocities perpetrated by the Rapid Support Forces in Sudan, including following the seizure of the city of el-Fasher.”
For many observers, the sanctions represent more than just punitive measures against an individual. They are part of a “gradual approach and a progressive one,” as Anouar el-Anouni explained, reflecting the EU’s intent to increase the severity of its actions against both sides in Sudan’s conflict. The hope among European leaders is that such targeted sanctions will deter further abuses and encourage meaningful negotiations—though, as the events in el-Fasher have shown, peace remains elusive.
The roots of this war run deep, tangled in Sudan’s complex political landscape. After the 2019 coup, there was a brief window of hope that a civilian-led government might emerge. Instead, generals Abdel Fattah al-Burhan of the Sudanese Armed Forces and Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemedti, of the RSF, found themselves locked in a zero-sum struggle for power. The dispute over the integration of their forces masked deeper suspicions: neither leader appeared willing to relinquish the influence and resources that came with their positions.
As the conflict drags on, the international community faces a difficult balancing act. While the EU and US have ramped up sanctions and diplomatic pressure, the situation on the ground remains dire. Civilians continue to bear the brunt of the violence, with reports of mass displacement, sexual violence, and ethnic targeting emerging from Darfur and beyond. Humanitarian agencies warn that the scale of suffering is likely underreported, given the limited access and ongoing insecurity.
Despite these grim realities, there are faint glimmers of diplomatic engagement. The RSF’s stated willingness to consider ceasefires and the EU’s insistence on accountability may yet open the door to negotiation. Still, as the military’s demands for RSF withdrawal and disarmament make clear, trust between the warring factions is in short supply. The path to peace in Sudan remains fraught with obstacles, both political and practical.
For now, the EU’s sanctions against Abdel-Rahim Hamdan Dagalo stand as a stark warning to those who perpetrate or enable atrocities: the world is watching, and impunity will not be tolerated. Whether this message translates into real change on the ground is a question that, for the people of Sudan, remains heartbreakingly unresolved.