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🇳🇬 Nigeria /Conflict & Security

US sanctions Sudan for chemical weapons use

From The Punch · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • The U.S. State Department has imposed new sanctions on Sudan, accusing its government of using chemical weapons.
  • Reports suggest chlorine gas barrels were used in the conflict between the army and Rapid Support Forces.
  • Sudan's government denies the allegations, calling them baseless.

The United States has imposed a new round of sanctions on the Sudanese government, citing its alleged use of chemical weapons in the ongoing conflict. The State Department announced the sanctions Monday, accusing the government of violating the Chemical Weapons Convention, which Sudan ratified in 1999.

the Government of Sudan used chemical weapons in 2024

— US State DepartmentStated in a determination leading to the latest round of sanctions.

While Washington has not provided specific details on the chemical weapons used, international media reports have indicated the use of chlorine gas barrels in 2024. The conflict, which began in April 2023 between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), has been marked by widespread reports of war crimes. The U.S. has previously sanctioned paramilitary commanders for alleged genocide in Darfur.

Sudan's army-aligned government has vehemently denied the U.S. allegations, labeling them as "baseless" and "political blackmail." The latest sanctions further restrict Sudan's access to financing and U.S. exports, and prohibit Sudan-owned carriers from using U.S. airspace.

baseless

— Sudan's army-aligned governmentDescribing the U.S. allegations.

Previous reports from outlets like The New York Times and France 24, citing anonymous U.S. officials and expert analysis of open-source data, have also accused the Sudanese army of using chemical weapons. These reports suggest the use of chlorine, with alleged approval from army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, in attacks around the al-Jaili oil refinery in September 2024. The army has a history of such accusations, including a 2016 investigation by Amnesty International.

political blackmail

— Sudan's army-aligned governmentDescribing the U.S. allegations.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by The Punch in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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