Sudan’s military government has condemned the European Union’s latest sanctions as ‘unfounded’ and ‘politically imbalanced,’ rejecting the EU’s move to penalize two senior military commanders and two companies tied to the country’s warring factions.
In a fiery statement, Sudan’s Foreign Ministry accused the EU of equating the national army — the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) — with the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which it blames for the majority of atrocities in the two-year-old conflict. The EU sanctions are based on an “unfair and distorted” analysis of the real situation in the country, the ministry said, calling the SAF a legitimate institution fighting to preserve national sovereignty. “Constructive engagement and acknowledgment of the complex realities on the ground are the shortest paths to mutual understanding and lasting peace,” the statement added.
The new EU sanctions target SAF commander Abu Aqla Mohamed Kikal, linked to retaliatory attacks against the Kanabi community, and RSF commander Hussein Barsham, cited for orchestrating massacres in Darfur. Gulf Bank and Red Rock Mining Company, allegedly instrumental in funding the conflict, also face asset freezes and restrictions. The war, now in its third year, has killed nearly 36,000 people and displaced over 10 million, according to UN and civil society estimates. Critics say Sudan’s lucrative gold sector continues to fuel the war economy, despite international sanctions. While some human rights advocates welcomed the EU’s move, others warn that without coordination from regional powers like the UAE and Egypt, enforcement may prove hollow — and peace ever more elusive.