US imposes sanctions on Sudan over chemical weapons use

The United States will impose sanctions on Sudan after concluding that the Sudanese government used chemical weapons during its conflict with the Rapid Support Forces.

The determination, made under U.S. law in April, found the government in violation of the international Chemical Weapons Convention. The sanctions are set to take effect around June 6 and will include restrictions on U.S. exports and government-backed credit.

Sudan has strongly denied the allegations, calling them false and politically motivated. U.S. officials say the chemical weapons were likely chlorine gas, reportedly used at least twice in remote areas last year. The war in Sudan began in April 2023, triggered by a power struggle between the army and the RSF.

It has since spiralled into the world’s worst humanitarian crisis, displacing more than 13 million people and killing tens of thousands.

Earlier this year, the U.S. also imposed sanctions on key military figures, including army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, accusing both sides of committing war crimes and atrocities during the conflict.