New British sanctions targeted “Kikel” and two commanders of the Rapid Support Forces, in addition to three Colombian citizens.

The United Kingdom announced new sanctions on Thursday targeting several prominent figures, including Abu Aqla Kikil, commander of the Sudan Shield Forces, a field commander and advisor to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) commander, and three Colombians involved in recruiting mercenaries for the RSF. Previously, on December 12, Britain imposed sanctions on RSF Deputy Commander Abdel Rahim Dagalo and three other commanders, most notably Jadu Hamdan, Al-Fatih Abdullah Idris (known as "Abu Lulu"), and Tijani Ibrahim Musa. The British Foreign Office explained in a statement that the new sanctions, which took immediate effect, target six individuals suspected of committing serious crimes during the war in Sudan. These crimes include fueling the conflict through the recruitment of mercenaries and the provision of military equipment. The sanctions also target Hussein Barsham, a field commander in the RSF, who has been accused of widespread crimes, including ethnically based violence, forced displacement, and attacks on civilians, particularly in the Darfur region. The sanctions also included Abu Aqla Muhammad Kikil, commander of the Sudan Shield Forces, an army-allied militia, who was deemed responsible for violations committed in early 2025 in Gezira State. The package also targeted Mustafa Ibrahim Abdel Nabi Muhammad, director of Gulf Bank and majority shareholder of Shield Preventive Solutions, as well as an advisor to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) commander. Mustafa is believed to have played a role in financing the RSF's illicit military activities. The three Colombians sanctioned are Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, Mateo Andrés Duque Botero, and Álvaro Andrés Quihano Becerra. They are accused of recruiting former members of the Colombian army to train and join the RSF. The United States also took action against these practices; on December 9, it imposed sanctions on Colombian companies and individuals. Among them was Álvaro, a resident of the UAE, who helped establish a company managed by his wife, Claudia. This company uses online platforms and advertisements to offer jobs that include operators. British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, who visited the city of Adré in Chad where thousands of Sudanese displaced by the conflict have taken refuge, confirmed that the aim of the sanctions is to dismantle the system of war and illicit gain run by the parties responsible for the violence and fighting in Sudan.