Britain imposed sanctions on 11 individuals and entities on Thursday over their alleged involvement in illicit gold trading and financial networks supporting Sudan’s war.
The conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces, which began in April 2023, has displaced millions of people and triggered one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.
The latest British sanctions target an alleged RSF financier suspected of funding the group’s operations through a network of Dubai-based gold, real estate and holding companies.
The measures also cover procurement operatives linked to the RSF and two companies based in the United Arab Emirates.
Britain additionally sanctioned a Hong Kong-based company and three Sudanese state-owned mining firms it said were connected to financing the army’s war effort.
The European Union announced separate measures targeting Sudan’s gold trade earlier this week.
Britain said Sudan’s officially declared gold exports were worth about $1.5 billion across 2024 and 2025. It estimated that gold worth several billion dollars was also smuggled out of the country each year through illicit networks.
Gold has become an increasingly important source of revenue for Sudan’s warring parties as they seek to finance weapons purchases, military operations and international supply networks.
The British government also warned that El Obeid, a strategically important city in central Sudan, faced a growing risk of mass atrocities.
It called for the United Nations arms embargo on Sudan to be expanded to cover El Obeid and the surrounding area.
