The US administration on Tuesday imposed sanctions on a South Sudanese military general and state governor accused in connection with the rapes of hundreds of women and girls.

According to the Treasury Department, they are the first US sanctions issued with a dedicated focus on conflict-related sexual violence.

Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control designated James Nando, a major general in the South Sudanese military, who is accused of overseeing soldiers that raped hundreds of women and girls between 2018 and 2021.

Treasury said Nando was aware of the abuses and did not prevent or punish fighters responsible for sexual violence when it happened under his watch.

Alfred Futuyo, governor of Western Equatoria, was also sanctioned. Affiliated with the opposition Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army led by the country’s first vice president Riek Machar, Futuyo is accused of carrying out numerous attacks in his state that resulted in abductions and gang rapes of hundreds of civilians.

Among other things, the sanctions deny General Nando and Governor Futuyo access to any property or financial assets held in the United State and prevent American companies and citizens from doing business with them.

“The United States rejects all forms of sexual violence — which women and children bear the brunt of — in armed conflict,” said Treasury Deputy Secretary Wally Adeyemo in a written statement.

“We remain committed to holding perpetrators and enablers of conflict-related sexual violence accountable so long as this scourge exists,” he said.

In November, President Joe Biden signed a presidential memorandum to give additional support to the UN special representative to the secretary-general on sexual violence in conflict and to survivors of sexual violence in conflict settings.