Activists cite US role in Gaza genocide as Blinken flags Sudan genocide

The United States has determined that members of Sudan's Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and allied militias committed genocide in Sudan and it imposed sanctions on the group's leader over a conflict that has killed tens of thousands of people and driven millions from their homes.

"After reviewing the horrifying information of suffering inside Sudan, I have concluded that members of the Rapid Support Forces and allied militias have committed genocide in Sudan," the top US diplomat said on Tuesday.

Blinken in a statement the RSF and aligned militias had continued to direct attacks against civilians, adding they had systematically murdered men and boys on an ethnic basis and had deliberately targeted women and girls from certain ethnic groups for rape and other forms of sexual violence.

The militias have also targeted fleeing civilians and murdered innocent people escaping conflict, Blinken added.

"The United States is committed to holding accountable those responsible for these atrocities," he said.

Sudan's main military army and RSF have been fighting for almost two years, creating a humanitarian crisis in which UN agencies struggle to deliver relief. More than half of Sudan's population faces hunger, and famine has been declared in several areas.

The war erupted in April 2023 amid a power struggle between the army and RSF ahead of a planned transition to civilian rule.

The US declaration deals a blow to the RSF's attempts to burnish its image and assert legitimacy — including by installing a civilian government — as the paramilitary group seeks to expand its territory beyond the roughly half of the country it currently controls.

Immediately after Blinken's announcement, activists and analysts cited US complicity in Israel's genocide in Gaza.

Kenneth Roth, former executive director of Human Rights Watch, said the mass killing of civilians in Sudan and Gaza "should be recognised and stopped."

Palestine-based journalist Muhammad Shehada said every war crime that Blinken mentioned in his statement is mirrored by Israel in besieged Gaza with brazen complicity of America and its leadership.

"Literally every single one of the crimes you cites to conclude a genocide is happening in Sudan are all being committed by Israel in Gaza; the very genocide YOU have been proudly funding, arming & covering up," Shehada said.

"Leaving 638,000 Sudanese experiencing the worst famine in Sudan’s recent history. [Leaving] tens of thousands dead. Direct attacks against civilians. Systematically murdered men and boys —even infants — on an ethnic basis. Targeted fleeing civilians, murdering innocent people escaping conflict. Prevented remaining civilians from accessing lifesaving supplies. Mass rape & sexual violence," Shehada posted on X, citing Blinken's statement.

"Which of these did Israel not commit in Gaza, word for word?" he asked.

Assal Rad, an author and scholar specialising in Modern Middle Eastern history, slammed Blinken and accused the top US diplomat of aiding genocide in Gaza.

"You destroyed international law and lied repeatedly in service of Israel's genocide against Palestinians. By politicising the determination of genocide you’ve undermined the foundation for accountability. History will only remember you for the genocide you aided at every turn," she wrote on X.

Annihilation of Palestinians

In Gaza, US ally Israel has reportedly killed more than 46,000 Palestinians and wounded nearly 110,000 others since October 2023. Some 11,000 Palestinians are feared to be buried under rubble of the bombed homes. Another 10,000 have been abducted by Israel and dumped in Israeli torture chambers.

But experts and some studies say this is just a tip of an iceberg and the actual Palestinian death toll could be around 200,000 or more.

Washington doles out $3.8 billion in annual military funding to its longtime ally Israel, and the administration has so far resisted calls to condition any arms transfers even though senior US officials have criticised Israel over the high civilian death toll in Gaza.

In its genocidal war, Israeli military has wiped out entire families in Gaza, pulverised neighbourhoods, dug up mass graves, destroyed cemeteries, bombed shops and businesses, flattened hospitals and morgues, ran tanks and bulldozers on dead bodies, tortured jailed Palestinians with dogs and electricity, subjected detainees to mock executions, and even raped many Palestinians.

Exhibiting sadistic behaviour during the genocide, Israeli soldiers have taunted Palestinian prisoners by claiming they were playing football with their children's heads in Gaza. Israeli troops have live streamed hundreds of videos of soldiers looting Palestinian homes, destroying children's beds, setting homes on fire and laughing, wearing undergarments of displaced Palestinians and stealing kids' toys.

In their mission to erase Palestine, Israeli troops have killed a record number of babies, medics, athletes, and journalists — unprecedented in any war in this century.

Recently, in a landmark move, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for warmonger Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant over war crimes in Palestinian territories, including Gaza.

Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice.

Yet, US continues to arm its ally with lethal weapons and shields it from any criticism at the global forums including at the UN and UN Security Council.

"This raises a serious question," US-based political scientist Ibrahim Zabad noted.

"Can a genocidaire judge if others are committing genocide?"

"Blinken finds genocide in Sudan but not in Gaza," said Mark Seddon, director of the Center for United Nations Studies. "Really, you can't make this crap up."