U.S. Announces Sanctions on Senior Sudanese Military Official

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The U.S. Department of the Treasury announced today, Thursday, the imposition of sanctions on a senior Sudanese military official, General Mirghani Idris Suleiman, Director General of the Defense Industries System. According to the statement, the sanctions were imposed due to his "leadership in efforts by the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) to acquire weapons for use in their ongoing war with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF)."

The statement added that Idris was "central to arms deals that have fueled the brutality and scale of the war."

Bradley Smith, Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence at the U.S. Treasury, said, "Today’s action underscores the key role played by individuals like Mirghani Idris Suleiman in acquiring weapons, perpetuating violence, and prolonging the conflict in Sudan."

The statement continued, "Since the beginning of the war, the Sudanese Armed Forces have prioritized acquiring weapons, including Iranian drones and an arms-for-ports deal with Russia, choosing to escalate the conflict rather than engage in good-faith negotiations to end it. The arms and diplomatic support provided by Iran and Russia have emboldened the Sudanese military and reduced their interest in de-escalating the conflict."

The Treasury had previously imposed sanctions on the Defense Industries System last year. Earlier this month, sanctions were also placed on Al-Qoni Hamdan Dagalo Musa, the procurement officer for the RSF.

In a separate statement, the U.S. Department of State said, "The Sudanese Armed Forces prioritized acquiring weapons, including drones from Iran and Russia, over responding to calls for peace. These deals involved an arms exchange with Russia in return for a port, escalating the brutality of the war between the Sudanese military and the RSF."

The statement added that the announced sanctions "are part of our ongoing efforts to hold accountable those fueling this conflict. The U.S. will continue to use available tools to push for peace and impose costs on those perpetuating the conflict and causing suffering for the Sudanese people."