Rights group HRF condemns reports Kenya issued passports to Sudan RSF-linked figures

A New York–based rights group on Saturday said it was alarmed by reports that Kenyan authorities issued passports to a sanctioned Sudanese war financier and other individuals linked to Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, calling for international scrutiny of Nairobi.

The Human Rights Foundation (HRF), which is headquartered in New York City, said the alleged move could help members or supporters of the RSF evade international sanctions. “HRF is alarmed by reports indicating that Kenyan authorities issued passports to a sanctioned Sudanese war financier and other individuals linked to Sudan’s genocidal Rapid Support Forces (RSF),” the organization said in a statement.

HRF said the development marked “another troubling twist” in what it described as a controversial alliance between Kenyan President William Ruto and the RSF, a paramilitary group involved in Sudan’s ongoing conflict. “This implicates authorities in aiding the paramilitary group's sanctions evasion,” the statement said, adding that the international community should hold Kenya “accountable.”

The HRF statement follows an updated U.S. sanctions list indicating that the brother of Rapid Support Forces (RSF) leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemedti, appeared on the list while holding a Kenyan passport. The development has triggered an uproar among Kenyan opposition figures. Nairobi has long denied supporting the RSF, maintaining that it remains “neutral” in the conflict.

Tensions had already been escalating between Nairobi and Sudan’s military-led government since February 2025, when Kenya hosted RSF meetings in Nairobi. During those gatherings, the group signed a “political agreement” aimed at establishing a parallel authority in Sudan. Khartoum condemned the initiative as unwarranted external interference and accused Kenya of legitimizing the RSF’s rebellion.

The controversy significantly strained Sudan–Kenya relations. Officials aligned with the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) increasingly viewed Kenya as siding with their rivals, further deepening diplomatic tensions. Sudan subsequently cut all imports and exports from Kenya, further damaging trade and diplomatic ties between Khartoum and Nairobi.

Compounding the diplomatic strain, President William Ruto described Sudan’s army and the RSF as “cut from the same cloth,” suggesting that both parties were equally responsible for the ongoing violence. Sudanese military leaders interpreted the remark as equating the national army with a militia widely accused of atrocities, reinforcing the perception that Kenya was biased in favor of the RSF.

The latest HRF statement adds to a growing list of accusations against Kenya over its alleged support for the RSF, leaving Nairobi’s role in the Sudan conflict under increased scrutiny.