[JURIST] The UN Security Council passed a resolution 12-0 Tuesday imposing sanctions on four individuals for acts or abuses committed in the troubled Darfur [JURIST news archive] region of Sudan and calling for the conclusion of a peace agreement for the area by the end of the month. China, the Russian Federation and Qatar all abstained from the vote on the measure sponsored [JURIST report] by United States, Britain and six other Council members, saying that the sanctions would disrupt the tenuous peace process.

Under Resolution 1672 [text], restrictions were placed on the assets and international travel of Major General Gaffar Mohamed Elhassan, Commander of the Western Military Region for the Sudanese Air Force; Adam Yacub Shant, Commander of the Sudanese Liberation Army rebel group; Gabril Abdul Kareem Badri, the Field Commander of another rebel group, the National Movement for Reform; and Sheikh Musa Hilal, the Paramount Chief of the Jalul Tribe in North Darfur. The latest resolution implements Resolution 1591 (2005) [text], adopted in March of last year, which allowed the Council to take action against

those individuals…who impede the peace process, constitute a threat to stability in Darfur and the region, commit violations of international humanitarian or human rights law or other atrocities, violate the measures implemented by Member States in accordance with paragraphs 7 and 8 of resolution 1556 (2004) and paragraph 7 of this resolution as implemented by a state, or are responsible for offensive military overflights….