THE European Union has imposed sanctions on a senior Sudanese paramilitary leader over “grave and ongoing atrocities” by his forces in the more than two-year war with the Sudanese army.

The measures announced on Thursday against Abdel-Rahim Hamdan Dagalo, the second in command of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), follow earlier EU sanctions against the group itself.

The EU’s Foreign Affairs Council said that it was imposing the new measures over violations committed by Mr Dagalo’s troops.

“The European Union condemns in the strongest terms the grave and ongoing atrocities perpetrated by the RSF in Sudan, including following the seizure of the city of el-Fasher,” it said.

There was no immediate reaction from the RSF, which had besieged el-Fasher for more than 18 months before seizing the city from the army, effectively taking control of the entire Darfur region.

Hundreds were killed in the assault and tens of thousands forced to flee to overcrowded camps.

The war between the RSF and the military erupted in 2023 after tensions between the former allies, who together seized power and crushed the civilian post-revolutionary government in 2021.

At least 40,000 people have been killed and 12 million displaced, according to the World Health Organisation, though aid groups believe the real toll is far higher.

The EU said that deliberate attacks on civilians, ethnically motivated killings, sexual violence, starvation as a weapon of war and blocking aid amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity.

The RSF, while not addressing the sanctions directly, said it welcomed international efforts for a ceasefire and accused the military of obstructing peace.