Britain freezes assets of 15 Sudan commanders after el-Fasher massacre

Fifteen commanders from Sudan’s warring factions will face travel bans and asset freezes in the United Kingdom starting Monday. The British Foreign Office announced the measures to target leaders from both the Rapid Support Forces and the Sudanese Armed Forces. The action follows a review of atrocities committed in the Darfur city of el-Fasher.

British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband stated that the sanctions aim to address suspected atrocities on both sides of the conflict. He noted that investigations funded by the UK have shown rape and starvation remain active weapons in the war. “A year on from the atrocities in El Fasher, UK-funded investigations have shown that rape and starvation are still being weaponised against the people of Sudan,” Miliband said.

The RSF launched its final offensive on el-Fasher on October 26, 2025, after a siege lasting more than 500 days. The subsequent takeover marked the largest single massacre in the war, which began in April 2023. Miliband added, “These are crimes against our humanity - the perpetrators must be held accountable and support from all external backers to the warring parties must end.”

Survivors described RSF fighters executing civilians and raping young women and girls. They reported that fighters moved survivors to makeshift clinics to draw blood and extorted families for money. RSF units, backed by the United Arab Emirates, filmed the massacres. The UAE continues to deny its involvement in supporting the RSF.

Researchers at Yale's Humanitarian Research Lab said the speed and industrial scale of the killing compared to the Rwandan genocide. The UN fact-finding mission found reasonable grounds to believe private companies and recruiters from the UAE routed supplies through Chad, southeastern Libya, and Bosaso in Somalia. British officials have faced criticism for not holding the UAE to account over its alleged support for the RSF.

The UK Foreign Office said the new sanctions ensure the horrors of el-Fasher become known to the world. The measures apply to officials from both the RSF and the SAF. The conflict has created the largest humanitarian crisis in the world.