London freezes assets of 15 Sudan generals on massacre anniversary

The United Kingdom imposed travel bans and asset freezes on 15 senior military commanders on Sunday. The measure marks the first anniversary of the fall of El Fasher. London accuses the officials of orchestrating a campaign of rape during the city's siege.

The sanctions list includes leaders from both the Rapid Support Forces and the Sudanese Armed Forces. The Foreign Office stated the goal is to ensure the world knows the horrors that occurred in El Fasher. The move targets individuals from both sides of the ongoing conflict.

During the RSF takeover of the city, an estimated 10,000 men, women, and children were killed over two days. This event is described as the fastest and largest civilian massacre of the century. Another 40,000 residents remain unaccounted for. The killings ended an 18-month starvation siege by the RSF.

The UAE is alleged to have backed the RSF during the siege, though it denies supporting the group. Fewer than 70,000 people now remain in El Fasher. The prewar population exceeded 1 million. Witnesses report routine detention, torture, and unlawful killings inside the city today.

Among the 15 sanctioned is RSF Colonel Hussein Abu Jalak. He is linked to atrocities during a siege that left hundreds of thousands of civilians eating animal feed. Al-Nour Ahmed Adam, known as Al-Qubba, also faces the new restrictions. He played a prominent role in the attack on the city.

A Guardian investigation found that internal US and UK warnings were ignored before the RSF attacked El Fasher. The report noted that actions that could have saved lives were not taken. The Coalition on Atrocity Prevention and Justice for Sudan said survivors will be heard as accountability efforts continue.

The conflict has displaced 14 million people since it began. In the last year, the war has shifted toward drone warfare. The RSF recently caused mass power outages across east Sudan by targeting power stations with a coordinated drone strike.