Sudan's al-Burhan warns sanctions may come 'in coming days'

Sudan's Sovereignty Council chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan warned on Friday that sanctions could be imposed on Khartoum "in the coming days," speaking after prayers at the Old Mosque in Al-Manaqil, Gezirah state, as he vowed to pursue military operations against the Rapid Support Forces.

"We do not rule out that sanctions may be imposed on Sudan and on us in the coming days," al-Burhan said, without specifying which party might introduce such measures. "Our battle has not ended and will not end until the rebellion (by the Rapid Support Forces) is eliminated throughout Sudan," he added, referring to the ongoing conflict with the paramilitary group.

Defections and fighting

The army chief's remarks came amid a series of high-profile defections from the RSF to the Sudanese military, with authorities in Khartoum announcing on Wednesday that four military commanders and 318 personnel had switched sides, bringing 50 combat vehicles with them. Since April 2023, the RSF has been fighting the army over a dispute regarding the integration of the paramilitary force into the military structure, triggering widespread famine and displacement.

US measures and humanitarian crisis

In July, the United States imposed sanctions on Sudan over allegations that the military had used chemical weapons during the conflict — measures that restrict financial and technical assistance while limiting exports of American goods and technology, according to Anadolu Agency. Khartoum rejected the allegations as "baseless" and politically motivated, saying Washington failed to provide credible evidence, while the United Nations reports that the war has killed thousands and displaced around 13 million people, worsening one of the world's most severe humanitarian crises.