Sudan rejects new EU sanctions, objects to ‘equating’ army with militia

July 20, 2025 (PORT SUDAN) – Sudan’s government on Saturday rejected a new round of European Union sanctions, saying it was unacceptable to equate the national army with the “rebel groups” it is fighting, according to a foreign ministry statement.

The EU on Friday imposed its fourth package of sanctions over the Sudan conflict, targeting army commander Abuqala Mohamed Kaikal, paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) commander Hussein Barsham, Al-Khaleej Bank and gold firm Red Rock Mining.

In its statement, the foreign ministry said it “rejects the foundations on which the decision was built.”

It said a “national institution,” like the army, which acts to protect national sovereignty under the constitution, could not be compared to “militias that rebelled against the state and committed documented serious violations,” including ethnic cleansing.

The government stated that it regretted the timing of the decision, which it claimed occurred during a period of “positive engagement” with the EU, and called for a more “constructive” and “balanced approach.”

The statement affirmed the government’s commitment to protecting civilians and called on the EU to support Sudan’s “legitimate state institutions.”