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UK imposes sanctions on RSF commander linked to el-Fasher atrocities
The British government has targeted Brig Gen Al-Fateh Abdullah Idris, known as Abu Lulu, after verified footage showed him executing unarmed captives in the Darfur city. Three other Rapid Support Forces leaders also face travel bans and asset freezes.
Evidence of executions and mass graves
BBC Verify confirmed video evidence in October depicting Abu Lulu shooting at least 10 detainees in a sandy area northwest of el-Fasher. Witnesses from RSF ranks were later seen celebrating the killings. Satellite imagery, previously analyzed by Yale University's Humanitarian Research Lab, revealed mass graves and piles of bodies in the city following the massacre.
RSF's brutal siege tactics exposed
An investigation by BBC Verify detailed the paramilitary's methods during the prolonged siege of el-Fasher, including detaining and torturing individuals attempting to smuggle supplies into the city. The RSF also constructed a sand barrier to block civilian and military escape routes. The UK Foreign Office stated Abu Lulu was responsible for ethnically and religiously motivated violence and deliberate civilian targeting.
Broader sanctions and international response
Alongside Abu Lulu, the UK sanctioned three other RSF commanders: Abdul Rahim Hamdan Dagalo, Gedo Hamdan Ahmed, and Tijani Ibrahim Moussa Mohamed. The EU had already imposed restrictions on Dagalo, brother of RSF leader Mohamed "Hemedti" Dagalo, in November. UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper condemned the atrocities as "a scar on the conscience of the world" and announced an additional £21 million in aid for civilians affected by the conflict.
"Today's sanctions against RSF commanders strike directly at those with blood on their hands, while our strengthened aid package will deliver lifesaving support to those suffering."
Yvette Cooper, UK Foreign Secretary
RSF leader acknowledges violations
In the aftermath of the massacre, RSF leader Gen Mohamed "Hemedti" Dagalo admitted to "violations" by his forces and promised an investigation. Abu Lulu was later arrested and shown in a staged video entering a prison near el-Fasher. His social media presence, including a TikTok account documenting his activities, was removed in October after BBC Verify contacted the platform.
Global efforts to address Sudan's crisis
The UK's sanctions follow a similar move by the US, which targeted a network accused of recruiting Colombian mercenaries to fight for the RSF. The US Treasury Department reported hundreds of Colombian fighters, including drone pilots, have joined the conflict since 2024. Former US President Donald Trump recently pledged to collaborate with Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE to address the "tremendous atrocities" in Sudan.
Humanitarian toll of Sudan's civil war
The conflict, now in its third year, has killed hundreds of thousands and displaced millions. El-Fasher, the army's last major stronghold in Darfur, fell to the RSF in late October, marking a critical shift in the region's power dynamics.
