State Department Calls Out Genocide in Sudan, Heightening Urgency for U.S. Strategy Change

In the most significant U.S. statement on Sudan since the country’s renewed civil war broke out in 2023, Secretary of State Antony Blinken declared on January 7 that members of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and allied militias had committed acts of genocide in the western region of Darfur. Blinken’s announcement came nearly a year after Sen. Jim Risch (R-ID), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, introduced a resolution recognizing the paramilitary group’s actions as genocide.

The Treasury Department reinforced the State Department’s findings by issuing sanctions targeting RSF leader General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, better known as Hemedti. Additional sanctions targeted seven Emirati companies and one Sudanese national with ties to the RSF’s financial network. 

The Power Struggle Between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces

Blinken stated that RSF forces and allied militias “systematically murdered men and boys — even infants — on an ethnic basis and deliberately targeted women and girls from certain ethnic groups for rape and other forms of brutal sexual violence. Those same militias have targeted fleeing civilians, murdering innocent people escaping conflict, and prevented remaining civilians from accessing lifesaving supplies.” He added: “Based on this information, I have now concluded that members of the RSF and allied militias have committed genocide in Sudan.”

Hostilities erupted in April 2023 when Hemedti’s RSF clashed with the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), commanded by the country’s current leader, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, following failed negotiations over the RSF’s integration into the national military. Both al-Burhan and Hemedti rose to power after orchestrating the 2019 coup that ousted longtime dictator Omar al-Bashir. In the immediate aftermath of the coup, al-Burhan and Hemedti worked together to establish a transitional government, with al-Burhan leading the Transitional Sovereignty Council and Hemedti serving as his deputy. However, escalating power struggles between them led to the current civil war.

RSF’s Financial and Military Backers

Beyond dividing Sudan and prompting the catastrophic displacement of millions of civilians, there is an important geostrategic dimension to the civil war. On January 6, the United States accused Russia at the United Nations of financing both warring parties. A U.S. spokesperson noted that Washington was aware of Russia’s “ongoing interest in Sudan’s gold trade,” a major revenue source for the RSF. During a November 2024 UN Security Council (UNSC) meeting, Russia was the sole veto on a draft resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire and unimpeded humanitarian access.

Meanwhile, Egypt, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates are pursuing their own agendas in Sudan. Cairo has thrown its support behind the SAF, viewing al-Burhan as a critical ally in maintaining stability along its southern border and ensuring Sudan remains aligned with Egypt in the ongoing Nile dispute with Ethiopia. Turkey has maintained relations with both the RSF and the SAF. On January 6, al-Burhan welcomed Turkey’s offer to mediate a resolution.

The UAE, meanwhile, has been the RSF’s largest backer, supplying arms and financial aid to Hemedti’s forces. In return, the RSF regularly smuggles gold to the UAE. By propping up the two factions, foreign powers have complicated Sudan’s crisis, often prolonging the conflict and disincentivizing a resolution.

How Can the U.S. Navigate Sudan’s Crisis Toward Stability?

The State Department’s genocide designation underscores longstanding U.S. inaction on Sudan and the need for a more proactive approach. While the designation is an important first step, further measures are needed to secure a ceasefire and pave the pathway for a stable Sudan. Moving forward, Washington should work to actively disrupt the RSF’s financial networks and weapons supply chain. Additionally, Washington should conduct a comprehensive investigation into the SAF’s conduct under al-Burhan’s leadership aimed at assessing his commitment to Sudanese aspiration for a civilian-led government. Simultaneously, immediate humanitarian relief should be directed to the 11.5 million internally displaced persons and the five regions devastated by famine. Finally, Washington must closely monitor foreign actors enabling both factions and take decisive action — such as further sanctions and diplomatic pressure — to prevent intervention that promotes escalation.

Mariam Wahba is a research analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD). For more analysis from Mariam and FDD, please subscribe HERE. Follow Mariam on X @themariamwahba. Follow FDD on X @FDD. FDD is a Washington, DC-based, nonpartisan research institute focused on national security and foreign policy.