The United States has announced plans to impose sanctions on Sudan after concluding that its government used chemical weapons during the country’s ongoing civil war.
The move, confirmed by the U.S. State Department late on Thursday, marks a serious escalation in Washington’s response to the year-long conflict, which has devastated Sudan and triggered a vast humanitarian crisis.
According to BBC, the State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said the sanctions will take effect around 6 June. They will include a ban on certain U.S. exports to Sudan and a suspension of U.S. government-backed credit lines.
The decision follows a formal notification to Congress and is based on the 1991 Chemical and Biological Weapons Control and Warfare Elimination Act. Sudan is a signatory to the international Chemical Weapons Convention, which bans such weapons.
“The United States calls on the Government of Sudan to cease all chemical weapons use and uphold its obligations,” Bruce said.
Sudanese authorities have yet to respond to the accusations.
The civil war in Sudan erupted in April 2023 between the country’s armed forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The conflict has killed tens of thousands and displaced around 13 million people, with the United Nations describing it as the worst humanitarian crisis globally.
Reports in January from The New York Times, citing senior U.S. officials, alleged that Sudan’s army had used chlorine gas in at least two attacks in remote areas—claims now supported by Thursday’s announcement. Chlorine gas can cause severe respiratory damage and is banned under international law.
Although Bruce did not disclose where or when the alleged chemical attacks took place, she reaffirmed that the U.S. is committed to holding perpetrators accountable.
This latest round of sanctions adds to earlier U.S. actions. In January, Washington sanctioned Sudan’s military leader, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, for hindering peace efforts. Similar measures were imposed on RSF commander General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemedti, over alleged atrocities, including acts of genocide.
A Sudanese diplomatic source, speaking to Reuters, criticised the U.S. announcement, calling it a political distraction aimed at shifting attention from a separate congressional investigation into the United Arab Emirates’ alleged role in the conflict.
However, the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) has not yet commented on the U.S. claims.