Ocean County Leader

In response to the recent meeting between Sudanese warlord Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in New York, Representative Chris Smith has urged the Biden-Harris Administration to impose sanctions on the leaders of both the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Smith, a Republican from New Jersey, is calling for these measures due to what he describes as "gross violations of internationally recognized human rights."

Smith, who chairs the House Foreign Affairs human rights subcommittee and co-chairs the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, stated, “Burhan has blood on his hands and should never have been let into the United States—let alone received by the UN Secretary-General in New York.”

He further emphasized that “the United States must exert maximum pressure and place robust sanctions not only on Burhan but also on Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo—known to the world as ‘Hemeti’—for their extensive criminal records and their failure to allow humanitarian aid into Sudan and let civilians evacuate combat zones.” Smith highlighted his involvement in 15 congressional hearings related to Sudan.

According to Smith, over 18,000 civilians have been killed since 2023, with estimates reaching up to 150,000. More than 10 million people have been displaced. He asserted that “there will never be peace in Sudan until there is accountability for the atrocities committed by these twin butchers of Darfur.”

Smith criticized both warlords for their actions in Sudan: “Together, these two warlords have ravaged Sudan with utter impunity and brutality,” he said. He cited a recent UN report which found that SAF and RSF are responsible for "an appalling range of harrowing human rights violations and international crimes."

Smith also addressed economic aspects linked to this conflict: “The U.S. also needs to stem the flow of illicit Sudanese gold—which the RSF smuggles through the United Arab Emirates into global markets—by working with our partners to ensure gold is traced to its source and declared clean before entering the market,” he added. He warned that without such measures, illicit gold mining would continue funding Hemeti’s actions against civilians.