On the first anniversary of the devastating fall of El Fasher, the British regime has announced sanctions against high-ranking military commanders from both sides of Sudan’s ruinous conflict. A total of 15 commanders belonging to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) have been hit with travel bans and asset freezes over alleged involvement in sexual violence and mass atrocities during the brutal siege.

The UK Foreign Office purportedly seeks to ensure accountability and shed light on the horrors that unfolded during the city's takeover, where thousands of civilians were allegedly slaughtered and tens of thousands remain unaccounted for following an 18-month starvation siege. Critics and investigative reports, however, point out that internal warnings within Western administrations were previously sidelined, rendering international preventive diplomacy ineffective.

The targeted individuals include high-profile RSF figures accused of orchestrating attacks that forced civilian populations to survive on extreme measures, alongside allegations implicating external actors such as the UAE—claims that continue to be officially denied. Meanwhile, life for the remaining fraction of El Fasher's pre-war population remains marked by systemic detention, torture, and lawless conditions.

Over the past year, the protracted conflict has increasingly morphed into a destructive drone war, further exacerbating the humanitarian catastrophe that has displaced roughly 14 million people. Recent coordinated drone strikes targeting vital power infrastructure have caused massive blackouts across eastern Sudan, highlighting the unceasing degradation of regional security.

Source: www.theguardian.com