KHARTOUM, Sudan – In a dramatic twist, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a major Sudanese paramilitary unit, abruptly called off a highly anticipated press conference in Nairobi. The cancellation came in the wake of the United States hitting the RSF’s leadership with swingeing sanctions, barely allowing organizers time to catch their breath.

The briefing was slated to unfold at the illustrious Radisson Blu Hotel. Attendees had gathered, anticipation crackling in the air, only to be met with the sudden news. Just like that, a quiet meeting behind closed doors with top Kenyan officials put the brakes on the event, with whispers of US influence gently fanning the flames of speculation.

Omar Hamdam Ahmed, heading the RSF delegation, cryptically attributed the breakdown to “Africa’s ever-present specter of dictatorship,” but left it at that, offering not a crumb more. Behind the scenes, it appears Kenyan authorities were wary of US wrath, owing to their freshly enacted sanctions targeting RSF chief Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, commonly known as ‘Hemedti’. This action was prompted by grievous accusations of involvement in atrocities in the infamously turbulent region of Darfur.

The RSF stands accused by both the US and numerous human rights watchdogs of trampling over basic human rights, with allegations ranging from mass rape to ethnic cleansing—and even turning a cold shoulder to humanitarian aid efforts.

In a statement delivered with all the formality one might expect, the United States Department of State nailed down these allegations. “Hemedti’s designation under Section 7031(c) effectively bars him and his kin from entering the U.S.,” it declared with finality.

This isn’t Nairobi’s first rodeo either—just last November, RSF’s plans for a similar media event hit the skids in Kenya. The organization finds itself in a vicious, bloody tango with the Sudan Armed Forces, a conflict that’s left an indelible mark on the country, claiming countless lives and uprooting millions more from their homes.

Adding another layer to this unfolding drama, the Sudanese military proudly declared just this past weekend that they’d seized the strategically vital town of Wad Medani—the beating heart of Gezira province. Culture and Information Minister Khalid Aleisar didn’t miss a beat, hailing the military’s move as a “victory for security and stability,” as noted by Addis Standard. Cheers reverberated as their statement vowed that rebel forces would be swept from the city—all in the name of restoring dignity and order. The RSF, eerily quiet, has offered no rebuttal thus far.

Adding fuel to the fire, the RSF has lashed out, accusing the US of having scales tipped unfavorably against them. The turmoil in Sudan has become a slow-burning saga since ousting Omar al-Bashir, a saga sparked by civilian unrest and the heavy hand of military intervention.