US Sanctions ADF Commander, Sponsors, South Sudan Security Associates

The United States of America has imposed sanctions on the commander of Ugandan Islamist Allied Democratic Force based in eastern Democratic of Congo and five of his sponsors.

The US Department of Treasury on Tuesday announced a rare massive designation against 18 targets including 6 ADF, 5 South Sudan security associates, one Libyan militia commander and 6 other targets from Pakistan, Burma and Slovakia.

On the International Human Rights Day yesterday, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) took the stern action against the 18 individuals located in Burma, Pakistan, Libya, Slovakia, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and South Sudan for their roles in serious human rights abuse.

Additionally, six entities have been designated for being owned or controlled by one of the aforementioned individuals,” said Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin.

Mr. Mnuchin added that the Washington will not tolerate torture, kidnapping, sexual violence, murder, or brutality against innocent civilians and corruption.

For more than two decades, the ADF has engaged in serious human rights abuse, committing mass rape, torture, killings, and persistent civilian abductions.

The latest action follows intensified fighting between ADF combatants and the Congolese national army and the United Nations peace keeping forces.

The rebels, whose bases were recently attacked by Congolese forces, have intensified attacks on civilians, slaughtering dozens of innocent people in just a week.

In 2014, OFAC and the United Nations designated the ADF, for targeting children in situations of armed conflict, including through killing, rape, abduction, and forced displacement impacting the Great Lakes region.

The ADF continues to perpetuate widespread violence and innumerable human rights abuse including the abduction, recruitment, and use of children during attacks and other violent operations.  Additionally, the ADF’s overnight raids and abduction of civilians has not abated.

Yesterday OFAC designated Musa Baluku, a leader of the ADF, and five key ADF members who have materially assisted the ADF through recruitment, logistics, administration, financing, intelligence, and operations coordination.

The US says this action is intended to limit the financial dealings and access of key ADF leadership and aligns with the DRC government’s broad objectives to tackle ongoing insecurity in eastern DRC.

Below is the list of sanctioned individuals

• Musa Baluku is the leader of the ADF, an entity that has engaged in, or whose members have engaged in, serious human rights abuse related to his tenure.
• Amigo Kibirige has materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, the ADF, an entity that has engaged in, or whose members have engaged in, serious human rights abuse.
• Muhammed Lumisa has materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, the ADF, an entity that has engaged in, or whose members have engaged in, serious human rights abuse.
• Elias Segujja has materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, the ADF, an entity that has engaged in, or whose members have engaged in, serious human rights abuse.
• Kayiira Muhammad has materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, the ADF, an entity that has engaged in, or whose members have engaged in, serious human rights abuse.
• Amisi Kasadha has materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, the ADF, an entity that has engaged in, or whose members have engaged in, serious human rights abuse.

• Abud Stephen Thiongkol (Thiongkol) is a foreign person that is or has been the leader of an entity that has engaged in, or whose members have engaged in, serious human rights abuse.  Thiongkol has been identified as the commander of the detention facilities where Aggrey and Dong were held prior to their killings.
• Malual Dhal Muorwel (Muorwel) is a foreign person that is responsible for or complicit in, or has directly or indirectly engaged in, serious human rights abuse.  In addition to Muorwel’s participation in the killings of Dong and Aggrey he has been identified as being the commander of forces who detained and assaulted three international monitors in December of 2018.
• Michael Kuajien (Kuajien) is a foreign person that is responsible for or complicit in, or has directly or indirectly engaged in, serious human rights abuse.  Kuajien is one of two people publicly identified as being present in Kenya during, and in having a hand in, the kidnapping of Dong and Aggrey.
• John Top Lam (Lam) is a foreign person that is responsible for or complicit in, or has directly or indirectly engaged in, serious human rights abuse.  Lam is one of two people publicly identified as being present in Kenya during, and in having a hand in, the kidnapping of Dong and Aggrey.  Further, Lam is reported to have called member of Dong’s family in order to provide information on Dong’s whereabouts in return for a substantial cash payment.
• Angelo Kuot Garang (Garang) is a foreign person that is responsible for or complicit in, or has directly or indirectly engaged in, serious human rights abuse.  Garang has been identified as being involved in the killing of Dong and Aggrey, as well as of other individuals.

Meanwhile Libyan Mahmud al-Warfalli (al-Warfalli) who serves as a commander of the al-Saiqa Brigade is designated for being a foreign person who is responsible for, is complicit in, or has directly or indirectly engaged in serious human rights abuse.