Australia imposes sanctions on Sudanese military leaders and militia over human rights abuses
November 5, 2026 (CANBERRA) – Australia imposed targeted financial sanctions and travel bans on four Sudanese military and militia leaders and one entity on Thursday over allegations of serious human rights violations.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade announced the measures, which target the leaders of Sudan’s warring factions under Australia’s autonomous sanctions framework.
The list includes Sudanese army commander Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and Rapid Support Forces (RSF) commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo.
The list also includes Rapid Support Forces-aligned de facto West Darfur governor Al-Tijani Al-Tahir Karshoum and RSF field commander Hussein Barsham, who were designated for targeted financial sanctions and travel bans.
The Australian government additionally applied targeted financial sanctions to the Al-Baraa Bin Malik Brigade.
The foreign ministry said it made the designations because the parties were responsible for, or complicit in, severe abuses.
These abuses include violations of the right to life, torture, cruel and degrading treatment, and forced labour or slavery.
The targeted financial measures are designed to choke off the critical revenue streams funding both the Sudanese Armed Forces and the RSF. By freezing the assets of top commanders and their associated networks, authorities aim to deprive the warring factions of the financial resources necessary to purchase military materiel, supply their troops, and sustain the protracted conflict.
Under the new regulations, it is a criminal offence for anyone in Australia or Australian citizens overseas to use, deal with, or make assets available to the listed persons and entity without ministerial authorisation.
The travel declarations prevent the four named individuals from travelling to, entering, or remaining in Australian territory.
To prevent the measures from impeding relief efforts, the foreign minister simultaneously issued a class-based humanitarian permit for Sudan.
The permit facilitates specific humanitarian activities that might otherwise be restricted by the sanctions framework, ensuring the continued provision of aid in the country.
Listed persons or their authorised representatives may apply in writing to the minister to have their designations revoked.