WASHINGTON, May 24: The United States will impose new sanctions on Sudan following a formal determination by officials that concluded that the country used chemical weapons in 2024 during its ongoing civil war, deepening international concern over one of the world’s most devastating conflicts.
“On April 24, 2025, the United States determined under the Chemical and Biological Weapons Control and Warfare Elimination Act of 1991 that the Government of Sudan used chemical weapons in 2024,” said State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce. She added that sanctions, expected to take effect around 6 June, would include restrictions on US exports and government-backed credit to Sudan.
The sanctions-set to take effect around 6 June after a mandatory 15-day congressional notification period-will include restrictions on US exports to Sudan and limits on access to US government credit. The determination also finds Sudan in violation of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), to which it is a signatory.
“The United States calls on the Government of Sudan to cease all chemical weapons use and uphold its obligations under the CWC,” said Bruce, reports BBC. “We remain fully committed to holding accountable those who contribute to the proliferation of these weapons.”
While US officials did not publicly detail which chemical agents were used, The New York Times previously reported that chlorine gas had allegedly been deployed in two separate attacks in remote areas-claims that remain unverified with no visual evidence disclosed to date.
The Sudanese government has strongly denied the accusations. Culture and Information Minister Khalid Al-Ayesir condemned the move as “political blackmail” and a “fabricated narrative to mislead international opinion and provide cover for illegitimate actors complicit in crimes against the Sudanese people.” He also referenced the controversial 1998 US missile strike on Sudan’s Al-Shifa pharmaceutical plant, which was later widely criticised due to a lack of credible evidence.
The sanctions come amid a brutal civil war that has raged since April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The conflict has claimed over 150,000 lives and displaced more than 12 million people, plunging the country into a humanitarian crisis. The UN estimates that 25 million Sudanese now require urgent food assistance.
While the Sudanese military recently declared that Khartoum State was “completely free of rebels” after retaking the capital and key government sites, fighting continues in areas like Omdurman and Port Sudan. The latter, previously a safe zone, was struck by drone attacks this month that caused major infrastructure damage, including water shortages and power outages. The Sudanese army has blamed the RSF, which has not commented.
Sudan has also accused the United Arab Emirates of supporting the RSF, including responsibility for the Port Sudan attack-claims the UAE has dismissed as “unfounded.” Diplomatic tensions between the two countries have escalated, with Sudan’s recent attempt to sue the UAE for genocide rejected by a UN court.
The United States has previously sanctioned both warring factions. In January, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan was accused of undermining Sudan’s democratic transition, while RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemedti) was alleged by former US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to have committed genocide-charges both deny.
With existing sanctions already crippling Sudan’s economy, analysts suggest the new measures may have limited immediate effect. Nonetheless, the Biden administration insists it is sending a clear message: “Chemical weapons use is unacceptable and will not go unpunished.”
(UNI)
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