EU parliament calls for terrorist listing of Sudan’s RSF over El-Obeid siege
July 9, 2026 (BRUSSELS) – The European Parliament on Thursday adopted a resolution calling on the European Union to designate the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) as a terrorist organization and to impose sanctions on individuals responsible for attacks on civilians in Sudan, as well as a United Arab Emirates-based company.
The resolution, approved by 476 votes in favour and 28 against, with 96 abstentions, highlighted escalating violations of international humanitarian law during the ongoing siege of El-Obeid, the capital of North Kordofan state.
The EU already imposes sanctions on 18 individuals, including RSF deputy commander Abdelrahim Dagalo, and eight entities. These measures include asset freezes, travel bans to EU countries, and prohibitions on providing funds and resources.
The European Parliament said in a statement that the EU should add the RSF to its list of terrorist organizations and hold perpetrators of abuses accountable for their actions.
It called for sanctions on external facilitators of attacks against civilians, explicitly naming the Global Security Services Group for violating the United Nations arms embargo on the western Darfur region.
Human Rights Watch reported on May 26 that the Abu Dhabi-based group, which has ties to the UAE ruling family and senior officials, has recruited Colombian contractors and deployed them to fight alongside the RSF since 2024.
On Sept. 26, 2025, Sudan submitted documents to the U.N. that it said confirmed the UAE’s involvement in recruiting foreign mercenaries for the RSF through companies, including the Global Security Services Group, which is owned by UAE national Mohammed Hamdan Al-Zaabi.
Lawmakers urged the EU to penalize those responsible for attacks against civilians, called for an independent investigation into alleged war crimes, and advocated for the International Criminal Court to expand its jurisdiction across all of Sudan.
The resolution urged the warring parties to halt attacks on civilians, including sexual violence, and end the resulting man-made famine.
It condemned any foreign interference fueling the war and demanded that countries cease all support to the RSF, particularly the supply of weapons.
MEPs condemned in the strongest terms the war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Sudan, including atrocities taking place during the ongoing RSF siege of El-Obeid.
In recent weeks, the RSF carried out a series of drone strikes targeting fuel and power stations as well as the main market, while amassing forces around the city despite continuous international warnings over the impact of an assault on civilians.
An anticipated RSF assault on El-Obeid threatens the lives of 563,000 civilians and 105,000 displaced persons, in addition to another 700,000 people living within a 30-kilometre radius of the city centre.
Lawmakers said the EU must urgently scale up humanitarian aid to Sudan and provide direct funding to frontline local organizations, including those in the medical sector.
They also stressed the urgent need for humanitarian corridors to ensure civilian evacuations and aid delivery.