US Sees Growing Optionality for Wider Sanctions on Sudanese Army and RSF Amid Failing Ceasefire Efforts
In a surprising turn of events, the US is now considering a broader range of sanctions against the parties involved in the ongoing conflict in Sudan, a tacit acknowledgment that its envoy Massad Boulos has been unable to persuade the warring sides to accept a ceasefire. The move comes as reports indicate that ceasefire efforts are faltering, with fighting continuing unabated.
The development follows last week's announcement by US President Donald Trump that work had begun on ending the war in Sudan after he received a personal request for intervention from Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. However, Boulos has been working tirelessly for months to persuade the Sudanese army and its rival, the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), to back a ceasefire, with limited success.
The US Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently told a cabinet meeting at the White House that Trump was "the only leader in the world capable of resolving the Sudan crisis." An Arab diplomat noted that "Trump injects momentum into peace processes. It's what we do with it that matters."
Sources close to the matter indicate that Trump is likely to use a far broader range of punitive sanctions against groups that he believes are standing in the way of a ceasefire. These measures may include stricter economic penalties, travel bans, and asset freezes.
In addition to the US, Norway's foreign ministry is preparing to invite a broad range of Sudanese society to Oslo in the coming weeks to map out the parameters of how a civilian government could be restored in the event of the conflict ending.
The war in Sudan has claimed an estimated 40,000 lives and created one of the world's worst humanitarian crises, with over 14 million people displaced. The conflict has sparked widespread condemnation, with Saudi Arabia and Egypt broadly supporting the army, while the UAE has backed the RSF.
Privately persuading the UAE to change its position may be key to Trump's efforts to resolve the crisis. The move could also require the Saudis to weaken their insistence on preserving the existing Islamist-influenced army.
A recent development in this regard is the House foreign relations committee's decision to support labeling the Muslim Brotherhood a foreign terrorist organization, which could have far-reaching implications for the army.
The US has previously imposed sanctions on the RSF and some Sudanese Islamists linked to the army. However, these measures are likely to be expanded if Trump's efforts to resolve the crisis are successful.
Overall, it remains to be seen how effective Trump's new approach will be in resolving the conflict in Sudan.
In a surprising turn of events, the US is now considering a broader range of sanctions against the parties involved in the ongoing conflict in Sudan, a tacit acknowledgment that its envoy Massad Boulos has been unable to persuade the warring sides to accept a ceasefire. The move comes as reports indicate that ceasefire efforts are faltering, with fighting continuing unabated.
The development follows last week's announcement by US President Donald Trump that work had begun on ending the war in Sudan after he received a personal request for intervention from Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. However, Boulos has been working tirelessly for months to persuade the Sudanese army and its rival, the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), to back a ceasefire, with limited success.
The US Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently told a cabinet meeting at the White House that Trump was "the only leader in the world capable of resolving the Sudan crisis." An Arab diplomat noted that "Trump injects momentum into peace processes. It's what we do with it that matters."
Sources close to the matter indicate that Trump is likely to use a far broader range of punitive sanctions against groups that he believes are standing in the way of a ceasefire. These measures may include stricter economic penalties, travel bans, and asset freezes.
In addition to the US, Norway's foreign ministry is preparing to invite a broad range of Sudanese society to Oslo in the coming weeks to map out the parameters of how a civilian government could be restored in the event of the conflict ending.
The war in Sudan has claimed an estimated 40,000 lives and created one of the world's worst humanitarian crises, with over 14 million people displaced. The conflict has sparked widespread condemnation, with Saudi Arabia and Egypt broadly supporting the army, while the UAE has backed the RSF.
Privately persuading the UAE to change its position may be key to Trump's efforts to resolve the crisis. The move could also require the Saudis to weaken their insistence on preserving the existing Islamist-influenced army.
A recent development in this regard is the House foreign relations committee's decision to support labeling the Muslim Brotherhood a foreign terrorist organization, which could have far-reaching implications for the army.
The US has previously imposed sanctions on the RSF and some Sudanese Islamists linked to the army. However, these measures are likely to be expanded if Trump's efforts to resolve the crisis are successful.
Overall, it remains to be seen how effective Trump's new approach will be in resolving the conflict in Sudan.
Sanctions this, sanctions that... what's next? Can't we just try peace and love like in the good ol' 80s? 
I remember when leaders used to talk about bringing people together, not tearing 'em apart. Now it's all about "I'll stick my finger in your eye" diplomacy. 
We've seen this before, folks. Sometimes it takes more than just sanctions to fix things.
. Let's hope Trump's got a plan that actually works this time! 
He's got a reputation for being ruthless and power-hungry, not exactly known for his commitment to human rights or peaceful solutions. I'm not sure I trust Trump's assessment of him.
and I gotta say, it's kinda surprising coming from Trump... who would've thought he'd be the one to bring some momentum to peace processes 
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. I think this move shows that even if the current peace talks fail, Trump's still gonna try to pressure those groups into backing down.
. The fact that the US is expanding its sanctions could lead to some pretty significant changes in the dynamics between Saudi Arabia and Egypt, who are already backing the army 
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. One thing's for sure though: the people of Sudan deserve better than this endless conflict 
. The thought of all those people affected is just heartbreaking. I remember when Donald Trump was president and he said something about making America great again? Idk what that means for Sudan, but it can't be good 
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. Maybe they can figure something out that won't make things worse. I just hope someone can find a way to stop this war and get everyone safe 
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The humanitarian crisis is already super dire, with 40k+ lives lost and 14 million displaced... let's hope this new approach can actually do some good 
. It seems like we're going back and forth between the US and other countries trying to push for a ceasefire, but with no clear resolution in sight 
. Trump's approach might be different from previous efforts, but can he really convince those on all sides to put aside their differences? 
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. I do hope they can figure something out though. The thought of Norway bringing together Sudanese society to map out peace parameters is kinda cool, that's a step in the right direction 
. I mean think about it, the US is already trying to persuade the UAE to change its position on backing the RSF, but we don't know if that's going to happen 
. It's like, what's next? Will they be punishing everyone involved in the conflict just because the US can't get their way? 
. I'm all for trying to resolve conflicts peacefully, but sometimes those sanctions can make things worse instead of better 