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LONDON: The UK government on Wednesday announced sanctions on businesses that it said were associated with the Sudanese military groups on both sides of the ongoing conflict in the east African country.
The Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said it was imposing the sanctions on firms “which are fueling the devastating conflict in Sudan by providing funding and arms to the warring militias.”
The measures target three businesses associated with the regular army, the Sudanese Armed Forces, and three linked to its rival, the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, the FCDO said in a statement.
The sanctions “will limit their financial freedom by preventing UK citizens, companies and banks from dealing with them and put pressure on the parties to engage in the peace process.”
Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said the sanctions “are directly targeting those whose actions have destroyed the lives of millions.”
“Both sides have committed multiple cease-fire violations in a war which is completely unjustified.
“Innocent civilians continue to face the devastating effects of the hostilities, and we simply cannot afford to sit by and watch as money from these companies, all funding the RSF or SAF, is spent on a senseless conflict,” he added.
The three months of violence have left 25 million people in need of humanitarian assistance and internally displaced more than 2.2 million people, according to the FCDO.
An estimated 682,000 people have fled to neighboring countries, the FCDO added.
Washington last month slapped sanctions on companies associated with the two Sudanese military groups and imposed visa restrictions “against actors who are perpetuating the violence.”