The United States has imposed fresh sanctions on Sudan’s army-backed government, accusing it of using chemical weapons during its ongoing war with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
The US State Department said the measures were introduced after determining that Sudan’s government had used chemical weapons, a move Washington described as a violation of the Chemical Weapons Convention, which Sudan has signed.
The sanctions, which took effect on Monday, restrict Sudan’s access to certain financial services and US exports, while also preventing Sudan-owned airlines from operating in American airspace.
“The Government of Sudan used chemical weapons,” the State Department said in announcing the action, referring to its previous assessment of the alleged attacks.
Washington has not disclosed details about the locations or timing of the chemical weapons incidents, but reports by international media have alleged that chlorine gas was used in attacks.
Investigations by The New York Times and France 24 previously reported that Sudan’s military had allegedly used chemical weapons at least twice during the conflict. The reports claimed chlorine gas barrels were dropped near the al-Jaili oil refinery, north of Khartoum, when the area was controlled by the RSF.
Sudan’s military government has rejected the allegations, describing them as “baseless” and “political blackmail”.
The latest sanctions come as Sudan’s war between the army and the RSF enters another year, with both sides accused of committing widespread atrocities against civilians.
The US has also previously sanctioned senior commanders from both factions, including army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, popularly known as Hemeti.
The conflict, which began in 2023 after a power struggle between the former allies, has created one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises. The United Nations estimates that millions of Sudanese are facing severe hunger, while aid groups say more than 200,000 people may have been killed.
The RSF has also faced accusations of genocide in Darfur, where its predecessor militia, the Janjaweed, was accused of carrying out atrocities during Sudan’s previous conflict.
The US said it would continue efforts to pressure both sides to end the fighting, despite repeated failures of ceasefire negotiations.
Washington has attempted to broker peace talks, including discussions alongside Saudi Arabia, but the efforts have so far failed to produce a lasting truce.
