JOHANNESBURG, South Africa – Senator Jim Risch, R-Idaho, the incoming chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, has criticized the Biden administration for “waiting” until the outgoing president had only 13 days left in office before declaring insurgents. . The actions taken in Sudan, a country torn by a fierce 21-month war, are being considered “genocide”.
Earlier this week, Secretary of State Antony Blinken declared that members of the Sudanese rebel group, the Rapid Support Forces, or RSF, “have committed genocide in Sudan.”
“The United States is committed to holding accountable those responsible for these atrocities,” Blinken said in a statement. “We are detaining RSF leader Mohammed Hamdan Daglo Musa, also known as Hemedti, for his role in the systematic atrocities committed against the Sudanese people.” Known as, but are banned.”
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The Biden administration recently declared members of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) as committing genocide in Sudan. Image: US President Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images.)
Blinken made his decisions, he said, because “the RSF and RSF-aligned militias have continued direct attacks against civilians, systematically killing men and boys – even infants – on ethnic grounds , and have deliberately targeted women and girls of certain ethnic groups for rape and other forms of brutal sexual violence.”
The secretary added, “The same militias have targeted fleeing civilians, murdered innocents fleeing the conflict, and prevented remaining civilians from accessing life-saving supplies.”
Blinken said the African nation “is suffering from a conflict of relentless brutality, resulting in the world’s largest humanitarian catastrophe, with 638,000 Sudanese facing the worst famine in Sudan’s recent history, with more than 30 million people forced into humanitarian aid.” Aid is needed, and tens of thousands die.”
Risch acknowledged that the situation in Sudan has been devastating for more than a year, and questioned the timing of Blinken’s announcement. In a statement earlier this week, he wrote, “It has been almost a year since I introduced a resolution calling the atrocities in Sudan genocide. Additionally, I first called for global Magnitsky sanctions against the RSF and Hemedti 263 days ago – and have yet to take advantage of these sanctions.”
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Fighters from the Sudan Liberation Movement, a Sudanese rebel group operating in Sudan’s Darfur state that supports army chief Abdel Fatah al-Burhan, attend a graduation ceremony in southeastern Gedaref state on March 28, 2024. (Photo by AFP via Getty Images.)
Risch, speaking to Fox News Digital, declared, “The Biden administration waited until less than two weeks into office to approve RSF-affiliated companies And calling the Hemedatis guilty of their crimes and the atrocities in Sudan genocide.”
Risch said, “This neglect to address the crisis in Sudan weakened America’s influence in the region and the world years ago. If the Biden administration backed up its rhetoric with action, Sudan would be in a better position today.” More lives will be saved, and foreign agents who want to escalate this conflict will be kept at bay.”
Risch said, “This war must end. Further instability in Sudan will only fuel terrorism and regional turmoil, threatening global security. The United States and our allies must end the killings and atrocities, including deadly actions by proxy.” We must try to end, manage migration pressure and protect strategic interests such as the Red Sea corridor.”
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People board a truck as it leaves Khartoum, Sudan, on June 19, 2023. The UN human rights office said in a new report on Friday, February 23, 2024 that many people, including children, have been victims of rape and other forms of sexual violence in the ongoing conflict in Sudan, attacks that amount to war crimes. Can. (AP Photo, File)
In a statement to Fox News Digital, Thomas Perriello, the U.S. special envoy for Sudan, said, “Making a torture determination is a major responsibility that the Secretary takes seriously. Such decisions are based on careful review of the facts and the law It requires not only knowledge of certain actions, but also a showing of intent that those actions were committed with the specific intent to destroy a racial, ethnic, national or religious group in whole or in part. find information And that’s often difficult to assess.”
“The United States has taken repeated actions to promote accountability of the RSF for its atrocious conduct since the beginning of the conflict. The United States had already sanctioned five RSF leaders, including two of Hemedti’s brothers. We In December 2023 it also determined that members of the RSF committed ethnic cleansing, crimes against humanity and war crimes, hence the designation of Hemedti and determination of genocide to document the atrocities and Reflects a sustained effort to expose them, acknowledge the suffering of victims and survivors, and demand justice.”
In his announcement, Blinken announced the new sanctions, saying, “We are also imposing sanctions on seven RSF-owned companies based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and an individual for their role in purchasing weapons for the RSF. “
U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-ID), the new Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, speaks during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing. (Al Drago-Pool/Getty Images)
The Treasury Department also sent a statement on behalf of State around the same time, saying, “RSF’s ability to acquire military equipment and generate financing is fueling the conflict in Sudan.” The Treasury said that a particular company in the UAE owned by a Sudanese national “has provided funds and weapons to the RSF.”
Other UAE companies sanctioned last week have been accused by the Treasury Department of handling financial transactions, being “an essential part of RSF’s efforts to finance its operations” and importing IT and security equipment.
A gold company in the United Arab Emirates has been sanctioned after it allegedly “purchased gold from Sudan, presumably for the benefit of the RSF, and later transported it to Dubai.” Additionally, Treasury claimed that “RSF’s procurement director and brother of RSF leader Hemedti maintained access to (the Gold Company’s) bank account in the UAE, which contained millions of dollars.”
Women from El Geneina, West Darfur cry after receiving news of their missing relatives in Ardamata, as they waited for them in Adre, Chad, on November 7, 2023. Ardamata was the latest site of ethnic cleansing led by the RSF and allied Arab militias against the ethnic African Masalit tribe. (Reuters/El Tayeb Siddig.)
Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Wally Adeyemo said, “The United States is calling for an end to this conflict that is endangering the lives of innocent civilians.” “The Treasury Department is committed to using every tool available to hold accountable those responsible for violations of the human rights of the Sudanese people.”
In response to Fox News Digital’s questions regarding companies registered in the UAE, an official from its Foreign Ministry hit back. “The UAE’s primary focus remains on addressing the devastating humanitarian crisis in Sudan. We continue to call for an immediate ceasefire and peaceful resolution to this man-made conflict. In this regard, the UAE has already made clear That is, no aid or supplies are being provided to either of the two belligerent warring parties in Sudan.”
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The official added, “The UAE takes its role in protecting the integrity of the international financial system extremely seriously. We are committed to combating financial crime at a global level, enhancing international cooperation and developing strategies to address emerging risks.” Are.”
