The United States has announced new sanctions against Sudan following an investigation that concluded the Sudanese military employed chemical weapons last year during its conflict with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), according to a statement from the U.S. State Department.
Starting June 6, American exports to Sudan will be curtailed, and the country will face new financial borrowing restrictions. The announcement came from spokesperson Tammy Bruce, who underscored the seriousness of the allegations.
In response, Sudanese officials have strongly rejected the accusations, calling them “groundless” and lacking in substantiating evidence.
Both Sudan’s army and the RSF have been the subject of war crimes allegations throughout the war, which erupted two years ago as both factions vied for control of the nation. These claims have been consistently denied by both parties. Since the outbreak of violence, over 150,000 people have reportedly been killed.
Although Sudan’s military has recently regained control of the capital, Khartoum, fighting continues in other regions of the country.
Details about the specific chemical weapons allegedly used have not been publicly disclosed. However, a report by The New York Times in January suggested that chlorine gas had been used on two separate occasions in unspecified remote areas. Chlorine gas can cause severe physical harm and is potentially fatal. No photographic or video evidence has yet been made public.
The U.S. has called on Sudan’s government to stop using chemical weapons and honor its commitments under the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), which obliges signatories to eliminate their stockpiles of such weapons.
Sudan’s Minister of Culture and Information, Khalid Al-Ayesir, denounced the U.S. sanctions, describing them as a form of “political blackmail” aimed at undermining Washington’s diminishing influence in Sudan. He accused the U.S. of pushing a “fabricated narrative” to sway international opinion and protect actors the Sudanese government considers illegitimate.
Al-Ayesir also referenced a past incident—the 1998 U.S. bombing of the Al-Shifa pharmaceutical factory—where the U.S. alleged the site was producing chemical weapons. Those claims were later widely questioned, and the U.S. unfroze the assets of the factory’s owner, a move interpreted by many as an implicit admission of insufficient evidence.
Sudan is a signatory of the CWC, joining the majority of the world’s nations in the treaty. Countries such as Egypt, North Korea, and South Sudan have not joined, while Israel has signed but not ratified it, according to the U.S.-based Arms Control Association.
Bruce reiterated that the U.S. remains firmly committed to holding those responsible for chemical weapons proliferation accountable.
This is not the first instance of U.S. sanctions against Sudan in connection with the ongoing war. In January, Washington targeted leaders from both the Sudanese military and the RSF. General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan was accused of impeding democratic transition efforts, an allegation Sudan’s foreign ministry dismissed as both “strange” and “disturbing.” Meanwhile, RSF leader Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemedti, was accused by former Secretary of State Antony Blinken of committing genocide—charges the RSF denies.
The conflict has forced nearly 12 million people from their homes and left 25 million in urgent need of food assistance, according to humanitarian reports—more than double London’s population.
Experts suggest that these new sanctions may have limited additional impact due to already existing penalties. The development also comes amid controversy surrounding the alleged involvement of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the Sudanese conflict. Sudan recently severed diplomatic ties with the UAE, accusing it of supplying weapons to the RSF—an allegation the UAE has denied.
Amid these tensions, U.S. lawmakers have questioned continued arms sales to the UAE, especially after former President Donald Trump received a warm welcome during a recent visit to the Gulf nation.
A Sudanese diplomat told Reuters that the U.S. sanctions may be a strategic move to deflect attention from growing scrutiny in Congress over the UAE’s alleged role in the conflict.
Earlier in May, a top international court dismissed Sudan’s attempt to bring genocide charges against the UAE.
Source: BBC and News Agencies
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