Today, Secretary of State Antony Blinken made the determination that members of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and allied militias have committed genocide in Sudan. The RSF and allied militias have systematically murdered men and boys - even infants - on an ethnic basis, and committed rape and other forms of brutal sexual violence against women and girls of certain ethnic groups. The RSF and allied militias have also murdered innocent people attempting to flee the violence and prevented remaining civilians from accessing life-saving supplies.
This determination comes 20 years after Secretary Colin Powell declared that the Janjaweed - the predecessor of the RSF - and the Government of Sudan were committing genocide in Sudan. It is unthinkable that the Sudanese people have been subjected to genocide twice in a generation by criminals seized with greed and the evil intent to control and harm others. In December 2023, Secretary Blinken determined that the RSF and Sudanese Armed Forces both committed war crimes, and the RSF and their allies committed crimes against humanity and ethnic cleansing. As a result of these atrocities and the ongoing conflict, half of Sudan's population faces acute food insecurity and at least 638,000 people are living in Famine.
The U.S. government used extensive documentary evidence in making this genocide determination, including eyewitness accounts, photographs, investigative work by relentless journalists, and videos by members of the RSF themselves. The fact that these criminals felt emboldened not only to commit these crimes, but also to document and even brag about them on video, is a horrific testament to the consequences of decades of impunity for atrocities and genocide.
In connection with this determination, the U.S. government sanctioned RSF head Mohamed Hamdan Daglo Mousa, known as Hemedti, for his role in fueling the war in Sudan, and sanctioned seven RSF-owned companies based in the United Arab Emirates and one individual for their roles in procuring weapons and providing other material support for the RSF.
I grieve for the victims of these atrocities, their families, and their communities. The ongoing civil war has emboldened the RSF, deprived communities of basic needs and services, and led to these horrible crimes. It must end. The victims of these crimes and the Sudanese people deserve accountability as part of broader efforts so that true healing and reconciliation can begin, and Sudan can make lasting progress toward the peaceful and democratic future the Sudanese people have sacrificed so much to pursue.
