KHARTOUM – The imposition of economic sanctions by the United States on four companies affiliated with the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces, as well as visa restrictions for leaders from both sides and the regime of ousted President Omar al-Bashir, are likely to reverse the sanctions and reduce US pressure on the parties involved in the war, observers and experts said.
White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said the United States had imposed economic sanctions and visa restrictions on "Sudanese actors who perpetuate violence." In a statement, he explained that the sanctions aim to hold accountable those responsible for undermining peace, security and stability in Sudan.
For his part, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that Washington imposed sanctions on the company "Sudan Master Technology" for its role in supporting the production of weapons and vehicles for the Sudanese army, as well as the sanctions included the Military Industrialization Authority, which is run by the state and produces equipment and weapons for the army.
Blinken added that his country has also imposed sanctions on UAE-based General Trading Trade, which is used by the Rapid Support to purchase equipment for his troops, as well as the Junaid Gold Mining Company, which is also affiliated with the Rapid Support.
Blinken confirmed visa restrictions for figures including Sudanese military and rapid support officials and leaders from the regime of Omar al-Bashir.
The US secretary said the sanctions were in response to abuses by the Sudanese military and swift support for the commitments they made in Jeddah, adding that they were ready to take additional action, and "we will continue to work with the parties for humanitarian assistance and silencing the guns."
Anger in the army
On the other hand, a Sudanese military official criticized the position of the US administration, which is sponsoring with Saudi Arabia the Jeddah negotiations between the army and the Rapid Support. He said that the army delegation handed over to the two sides two days ago evidence that the "other party" did not implement the obligations of the truce agreement signed between them, and did not withdraw from hospitals and water and electricity service sites, but expanded its position inside 34 hospitals, took control of 29 ambulances and thousands of homes in several neighborhoods in the capital's three cities, and attacked other military and civilian sites during the truce period.
In an interview with Al Jazeera Net, the military official, who asked not to be identified, expressed his surprise at the United States putting the army and the rapid support in one hand, and "ignored that the rapid support bears responsibility for violating the truce because of its failure to control its forces, which turned into looting and looting and using civilians as human shields."
The source said army representatives suspended their participation in the Jeddah negotiations to give Riyadh and Washington an opportunity to assess both sides' commitment to the terms of the truce.
He added that the imposition of economic sanctions by the United States on companies affiliated with the army aims to weaken the Sudanese military institution and not exert pressure on its leaders, and that the defense industry system covered by the sanctions originated and developed during the period of US sanctions on Sudan since 1997, and saw that Washington's lifting the stick in the face of the negotiating parties loses the neutrality required by mediators.
He accused Washington of "unfairness and bias" for avoiding naming those who occupy citizens' homes, hospitals, water and electricity utilities and violating human rights.
Those who deserve sanctions are "regional parties that instigated, planned and supported the other side to seize power by force and mobilize 80,<> fighters in Khartoum for this purpose", he said.
Expected escalation
Military expert Salem al-Tayeb predicted that the US measures will lead to an escalation in the coming days, freeing the army's hand after it was freed from the truce obligations and is now required to end the "rebellion" of the Rapid Support Forces for their involvement in the destruction of state institutions and society.
According to the expert's interview with Al Jazeera Net, the leaders of the military institution are facing pressure from senior military personnel and citizens to resolve the "rebellion" as soon as possible because of the adoption of rapid support policy of destruction, sabotage, harming the interests of the people, displacing thousands of citizens from their homes and looting their property.
Al-Tayeb believes that Sudan has experience in dealing with US sanctions that lasted about 30 years during the era of former President Omar al-Bashir, and that the defense industry system was established in cooperation with China and Russia and will not be affected much by its economic sanctions.
The military expert explained that the Rapid Support Forces will be affected by the US sanctions because the "Al-Junaid" company, which was subject to the sanctions, includes several companies working in gold mining and trading, as well as construction, real estate and public trade, and is registered in the name of the deputy commander of the Rapid Support Forces Abdul Rahim Dagalo and two of his sons.
He adds that the company "Tradef General Trading" - based in the UAE - is run by Al-Qouni Hamdan Dagalo, the younger brother of the commander of the Rapid Support Mohammed Hamdan Daglo "Hemedti", and buys weapons, equipment, military vehicles and technical devices for their forces, noting that Washington also wants the sanctions to send messages to countries and companies that support Hemedti and cooperate with him.
Some analysts believe the freeze on the Jeddah negotiations and sanctions will put pressure on both sides in Sudan's warring (Reuters)
Mediation options
Political analyst Khalid Abdullah believes that the army's suspension of its participation in the Jeddah negotiations is a tactical step to buy time after its military plan to confront the Rapid Support Forces entered its final stage by using ground forces to remove forces from residential neighborhoods and using excessive force to destroy them.
The political analyst said – Al Jazeera Net – that the US sanctions and the naming of those responsible for "violence" and the freezing of the United States and Saudi Arabia Jeddah negotiations in protest against the lack of seriousness of the parties to the conflict; all factors constitute pressure because this would push the international community to adopt more decisive steps to stop the fighting in Sudan because of its humanitarian repercussions inside the country and its security effects on neighboring regional countries.
Abdullah added that the Biden administration has faced criticism from members of Congress and lobbyists for its inability to act seriously to stop the war in Sudan, which prompted it to adopt the option of sanctions. He saw them as symbolic measures but could evolve into other, harder steps.
The political analyst expected that the US and Saudi efforts will be integrated with the African Union's moves to approve a joint African-UN plan to deal with the Sudanese crisis, and the army and the rapid support find that they face difficult options if any party refuses to sit at the negotiating table. The analyst pointed out that the two sides are trying to improve their position on the ground before returning to negotiations.