US sanctions firms tied to Sudan forces

KHARTOUM: The United States yesterday imposed sanctions on companies it accused of fuelling the conflict in Sudan, stepping up pressure on the army and a rival paramilitary force to stop fighting raging in Khartoum and other regions.

The US Treasury Department said it targeted two companies linked to Sudan’s army and two companies tied to the rival paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

‘‘We will not hesitate to take additional steps if the parties continue to destroy their country,’’ a senior US administration official, who briefed reporters on condition of anonymity, said.

‘‘The targeting of the companies is far from symbolic,’’ the official said.

The measures are intended to choke off the parties’ access to weapons and resources that allow them to perpetuate the conflict.

The conflict, which broke out on April 15, has killed hundreds, forced more than 1.6 million to flee and turned one of Africa’s greatest cities — the threepart capital of Khartoum, Omdurman and Bahri on the River Nile — into a war zone.

Residents said heavy artillery fire could be heard in northern Omdurman and intermittent firing in southern Bahri.

Clashes also continued near a market in southern Khartoum, where at least 19 people were killed and 106 wounded on Wednesday, a member of a local neighbourhood committee said.

The US, alongside Saudi Arabia, has been leading efforts to try to secure an effective ceasefire, though both sides have breached a string of truces.

The army said on Thursday it had suspended talks taking place in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. But the senior US official said neither party had left and the talks were continuing.

Yesterday’s action — the first punitive measures imposed under an executive order signed by US President Joe Biden in May — slapped sanctions on Sudan’s largest defence enterprise, Defence Industries System, which the Treasury said generated an estimated $US2 billion ($NZ3.28 billion) in revenue and manufactured arms and other equipment for Sudan’s army.

Arms company Giad, also known as Sudan Master Technology, was targeted as well.

On the RSF side, Washington imposed sanctions on Algunade, which it said was involved in gold mining and was controlled by RSF commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo and his brother, as well as Tradive General Trading L.L.C., which it said was a front company controlled by another brother and involved in procuring vehicles for the RSF. — Reuters