U.S. sanctions ‘Abu Lulu,’ two other RSF commanders for El Fasher killings

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Treasury Department on Thursday sanctioned three commanders of Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) for their involvement in a campaign of ethnic killings, torture, and sexual violence during the paramilitary group’s capture of El Fasher.

The Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated Brig. Gen. Elfateh Abdullah Idris Adam, known as “Abu Lulu,” alongside Maj. Gen. Gedo Hamdan Ahmed Mohamed, known as “Abu Shok,” and field commander Tijani Ibrahim Moussa Mohamed, known as “Al Zeir Salem.”

Sudans Post was the first news publication to identify Abu Lulu and report on his activities in August last year, preceding his prominent role in the massacres documented in North Darfur.

The sanctions freeze any U.S. assets held by the commanders and prohibit Americans from conducting transactions with them.

The U.S. action follows similar designations by the United Kingdom and the European Union in December and January, respectively.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent called for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire, stating the U.S. would not tolerate the “ongoing campaign of terror and senseless killing in Sudan.”

“Without a swift end, Sudan’s civil war risks further destabilizing the region, creating conditions for terrorist groups to grow and threaten the safety and interests of the United States,” Bessent said in a statement.

The sanctions stem from the RSF’s 18-month siege of El Fasher, which trapped an estimated 260,000 civilians.

The city fell to the RSF on Oct. 26, 2025. Following the capture, RSF fighters engaged in systematic killings, detentions, and sexual violence, and attempted to destroy evidence by burning and burying tens of thousands of bodies, according to the Treasury Department.

Treasury officials highlighted Abu Lulu’s direct involvement, noting he filmed himself executing unarmed civilian and military captives at close range while interrogating them about their tribal affiliations.

The RSF recently announced his arrest, a move the U.S. characterized as a likely attempt by the group’s leadership to distance themselves from the atrocities.

Gedo and Tijani, who commanded forces during the siege, were also filmed at an abandoned Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) base following the city’s capture. Under their command, RSF fighters were documented massacring thousands of people.

A separate report released Thursday by the UN Independent International Fact-Finding Mission for the Sudan found that the RSF’s actions in El Fasher show “hallmarks of genocide,” specifically targeting the non-Arab Zaghawa and Fur communities. The UN mission warned of a serious and ongoing risk of further genocidal acts.

The conflict in Sudan, which began in April 2023, has killed more than 150,000 people and displaced over 14 million, creating the world’s worst ongoing humanitarian crisis.

Out of an estimated 70,000 people who fled El Fasher following its collapse, fewer than 10,000 had reached the relative safety of nearby Tawila by early November, humanitarian workers reported.