U.S. Treasury Imposes Sanctions on Sudanese Army Chief; Al-Burhan Downplays Their Significance

Washington – Sudanhorizon – Agencies
The U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced on Thursday that it had imposed sanctions on General Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, Commander-in-Chief of the Sudanese Armed Forces, under Executive Order 14098. The sanctions were justified by claims that Al-Burhan refused to participate in peace talks, labelling him as one of those destabilizing Sudan and undermining its democratic transition.
In a statement, OFAC also sanctioned a company and an individual accused of procuring weapons on behalf of Sudan’s Defense Industries System (DIS), which serves as the Sudanese Armed Forces’ procurement arm and was previously sanctioned by OFAC in June 2023.
U.S. Treasury Statement
Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo stated:
“Today’s action underscores our commitment to ending this conflict. The United States will continue to use its tools to disrupt the flow of weapons to Sudan and hold leaders accountable for their blatant disregard for civilian lives.”
The statement accused General Al-Burhan of avoiding international peace negotiations to end the fighting, opting for war instead of good-faith dialogue and de-escalation.
Additional Sanctions on Procurement Activities
The statement highlighted the role of Ahmed Abdullah, a Sudanese-Ukrainian national and an official in Sudan’s DIS. It alleged that since OFAC’s sanctions on DIS in June 2023, the system has sought to procure weapons and equipment through informal channels. As the Chief Operations Officer of Portex Trade Limited, Abdullah was accused of coordinating the purchase of Iranian-made drones from an Azerbaijani defence company for shipment to Sudan.
Exemptions in Sanctions
The sanctions against Al-Burhan exempt transactions related to agriculture, medicine, medical devices, and humanitarian efforts.
Sudanese Response
The Sudanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement rejecting the U.S. Treasury’s decision, arguing that it equates the army’s constitutional leadership with the actions of the rebellious militia.
General Al-Burhan, in remarks on Thursday, dismissed the importance of the sanctions, stating:
“My soldiers and officers are sacrificing their lives to defeat the militia; sanctions imposed on me are of little consequence.”
The Sudanese government criticised the sanctions as unfair and counterproductive, emphasising its commitment to combating the RSF rebellion and restoring stability.