U.S. Treasury sanctions 18 for human rights abuses in five countries

Dec. 10 (UPI) -- The United States on Tuesday placed sanctions on individuals from Burma, Pakistan, Libya, Slovakia, the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan for human rights abuses.

A total of 18 individuals responsible for heading military operations, police forces, militias and other groups in the respective countries were targeted as perpetrators of serious human rights abuse and corruption under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act, the U.S. Treasury Department said.

"The United States will not tolerate torture, kidnapping, sexual violence, murder, or brutality against innocent civilians," Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin said.

The Treasury Department said its sanctions on Burmese military Commander-in-Chief Miu Aung Hlaing, Deputy Commander-in-Chief Soe Win and infantry leaders Than Oo and Aung Aung are part of its efforts to support the country's democratic transition.

"Elements of the Burmese military have committed serious human rights abuse against members of ethnic minority groups across Burma, including those in the northern Rakhine, Kachin and Shan States among others," the announcement stated.

It also cited Ro Anwar Khan of Pakistan for staging fake police encounters that resulted in 400 deaths while serving as senior superintendent of police, Mahmud al-Warfalli for leading the al Saiqa Brigade militia in Libya, Marian Kocner for human rights abuses in Slovakia as well as six members of the Allied Democratic Forces in Democratic Republic of the Congo and five foreign individuals responsible for the abduction and potential murder of two human rights activists in Sudan in 2017.