The United States has imposed a fresh round of sanctions on Sudan as Washington accused the country’s military-led government of using chemical weapons during its war with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
The US State Department announced the sanctions on Monday, said Sudan violated the Chemical Weapons Convention ratified by sudan in the 1999 treaty by allegedly using chemical agents in 2024.
However, US officials have not revealed the exact locations or dates of the alleged attacks. Even so, international media investigations reported that chlorine gas was used in at least two incidents during the conflict.
Sudan has denied the allegations, described the accusations as politically motivated and also said the United States had not presented any evidence.
The new sanctions tighten Sudan’s access to US financing and exports and banned Sudan-owned aircraft from operating in US airspace.
As a result, the measures increase diplomatic pressure on the military-led administration.
Meanwhile, international media reported that chlorine gas barrels fell near the al-Jaili oil refinery, north of Khartoum, in September 2024.
The conflict which began in April 2023 pits Sudan’s military, led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, against the RSF, commanded by Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, widely known as Hemeti.
Since then, the war has triggered widespread allegations of war crimes, with United States sanctioning commanders from both sides.
According to the United Nations, the conflict has become the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. Nearly 20 million people now face acute food insecurity.
Aid organisations estimate that more than 200,000 people have died since the fighting began. In addition, millions of people have fled their homes.Despite repeated efforts by the United States and regional partners to broker ceasefires and humanitarian truces, the negotiations have failed. Nevertheless, both sides continue to pursue a military victory.
