Agencies, February 06 (Darfur24)
The British government announced on Thursday a new package of sanctions targeting six individuals accused of involvement in the armed conflict in Sudan and committing serious violations of international humanitarian law.
Those sanctioned include Abu Aqla Kikel, commander of the Sudan Shield Forces; Hussein Barsham, a field commander of the Rapid Support Forces in Kordofan; and Mustafa Ibrahim, a financial advisor to the Rapid Support Forces.
The measures also target three Colombian nationals, Andres Quijano Becerra, Claudia Viviana Oliveros, and Mateo Andres Duque, over their alleged role in recruiting Colombian fighters to serve as mercenaries for the Rapid Support Forces, a move Britain said contributed to escalating the conflict.
The sanctions were announced during a visit by British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper to the eastern Chadian city of Adré, near the Sudanese border. During the visit, Cooper met Sudanese refugees and reviewed the worsening humanitarian situation, calling for urgent international action to secure a ceasefire and halt grave violations against civilians, particularly women and children.
As part of her visit, the British foreign secretary toured a UK-supported hospital providing medical care to survivors of sexual violence.
Cooper also met regional officials, including the foreign ministers of Chad, Kenya, and South Sudan, as well as the chairperson of the African Union Commission for Peace and Security. Discussions focused on strengthening regional and international coordination, including efforts through the US-led Quartet, to push for an immediate ceasefire in Sudan.