EU slams sanctions on RSF commander Daglo over Darfur war crimes

BRUSSELS – The European Union on Thursday designated Abdelrahim Hamdan Dagalo, the deputy leader of Sudan’s powerful Rapid Support Forces (RSF), with sanctions, citing his direct involvement in atrocities and serious violations of international law during the conflict in the Darfur region.

The measure, detailed in the EU’s official journal, imposes an asset freeze and a travel ban on Dagalo. It marks an escalation of the bloc’s response to the war between the RSF and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), which has triggered a massive humanitarian crisis.

The EU’s listing specifically accuses Abdelrahim Dagalo of playing a “pivotal role” in the RSF’s military campaign in Darfur, personally overseeing operations across the region’s five states since at least October 2023.

Citing evidence from the U.N. Panel of Experts on Sudan, the EU states that Dagalo supervised attacks that led to the killing and execution of civilians, including during the advance on the city of El Fasher in October 2025.

“Abdelrahim Hamdan Dagalo is therefore responsible for directing acts in Sudan that constitute serious human rights violations or abuses or violations of international humanitarian law,” the regulation said.

The sanctions follow the RSF’s capture of El Fasher, the last major SAF stronghold in North Darfur, on October 26, 2025.

Reports from humanitarian researchers and rights groups detailing mass executions, targeted killings of civilians fleeing the city, and attacks on medical facilities during the fighting were a central factor in the EU’s decision.

Daglo’s arrival in El Fasher days after its fall, coupled with his established command authority across Darfur, underpinned the EU’s finding that he bears responsibility for the egregious conduct of RSF troops.

The designation tightens the focus on the influential Dagalo family. Abdelrahim is the older brother of RSF chief Mohamed Hamdan Daglo (“Hemedti”), who has been sanctioned by the United States. Another brother, Al-Goney Hamdan Daglo, was sanctioned by Washington in October 2025 for facilitating weapons procurement.

Furthermore, the EU highlighted Abdelrahim’s control over Al Junaid Multi Activities Co. Ltd, a holding company previously sanctioned for supporting the RSF’s financial and procurement networks in Darfur and Kordofan.

Previous EU sanctions in December 2024 targeted senior Sudanese military and security officials, including Salah Gosh and RSF Major General Osman Mohamed Hamid. The United States has also targeted RSF commanders like Abdulrahman Juma and Ali Yagoub.

In the RSF’s first public reaction, Al-Basha Tabiq, a senior advisor to Hemedti, denounced the sanctions on social media. He called the decision “unjust and unfair,” arguing it was politically motivated and based on “misleading allegations.”

Tabiq claimed that the EU failed to conduct proper investigations, relied on biased sources, and ignored violations allegedly committed by the SAF, including ethnic killings and attacks on humanitarian convoys.

“Justice cannot be selective, and such sanctions will only make the situation more complicated,” Tabiq wrote, urging the European Union to support peace efforts instead of issuing sanctions based on “incorrect evidence.”