The United States Treasury Department announced Friday that it has imposed sanctions on eight individuals and entities, including Indian national Alok Choudhari, CEO of Raipur-based SBL Energy Limited. The sanctions target those accused of fueling Sudan's devastating civil war by supplying weapons and explosives to the warring factions.
SBL Energy Limited, also known as Amin Explosive Private Limited, is alleged to have supplied over 200 shipments of explosives and related materials to Sudan-based Target Multiactivities Company (TMAC). According to the Treasury Department, TMAC maintained the arsenal for the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), and the supplied explosives were subsequently used in bombs deployed by the SAF.
Targeting Networks Fueling Conflict
The sanctions are part of a broader effort by the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) to disrupt networks enabling both the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) to intensify the conflict. This civil war has led to one of the world's worst humanitarian crises, displacing millions and causing widespread suffering.
In addition to SBL Energy and Alok Choudhari, other entities sanctioned include TMAC and its general manager, senior Defense Industries System (DIS) officer Tariq Hussain Muhammad Madani. The DIS, Sudan's primary defense enterprise, supports the SAF's military capabilities, often acquiring arms from external backers. DIS and its subsidiary Giad Industrial Group (also known as Sudan Master Technology) were previously sanctioned in 2023.
Broader Sanctions and Humanitarian Impact
The new restrictions also extend to Ports Engineering Company Ltd., a state-owned civil engineering firm linked to Sudan Master Technology, which reportedly imported military uniforms and equipment for Sudanese intelligence. Furthermore, the U.S. has targeted a transnational network responsible for recruiting former Colombian military personnel to fight alongside the RSF. This network, led by retired Colombian officer Alvaro Andres Quijano Becerra and his wife, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was previously sanctioned by Washington.
Individuals associated with Panama-based Talent Bridge, SA—a company allegedly used to obscure recruitment operations—were also blacklisted. These include Panamanian nationals Enrique Daniel Palacios Quintanilla and Jack Peter Derman Guzman, as well as Colombian national Fredy Alejandro Lopez Ocampo.
Tommy Pigott, spokesperson for the U.S. Department of State, stated, "These networks supply weapons, explosives, and foreign fighters to both the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces. Their support has prolonged a conflict that has created the world's worst humanitarian crisis and provided space for terrorist groups to operate."
The U.S. aims for these sanctions to curb the flow of materials and personnel that perpetuate the violence, urging a cessation of hostilities and a path toward peace in Sudan.