US accuses Sudan govt of chemical weapons use and announces sanctions

The US has formally accused Sudan’s government of using chemical weapons during its ongoing war with the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), in what it says is a clear breach of international law. In a statement issued on Thursday, the US State Department said sanctions will follow, citing evidence of chemical weapons use in 2024.

“This determination was delivered to Congress today,” said Tammy Bruce, spokesperson for the Department, “along with an addendum to the April 15, 2025, Condition 10(C) Report on Compliance with the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) that finds the Government of Sudan in non-compliance with the CWC, to which it is a party.”

The US State Department statement said the sanctions will include bans on American exports to Sudan and restrictions on access to US government lines of credit. These measures are set to come into effect around 6 June 2025, following a 15-day Congressional notification period.

The US has called on the Sudanese authorities to “cease all chemical weapons use and uphold its obligations under the CWC”. It also vowed to hold accountable those involved in chemical weapons proliferation.

Accord to an article by the New York Times in mid-January, that the Sudanese Armed Forces allegedly used chlorine gas against the RSF in two remote incidents, citing US officials who said the gas can cause severe respiratory pain and death.

Speaking to state media, Minister of Culture and Information Khaled Aleiser, dismissed the accusations as “political blackmail and falsification of the facts,” and insisted that they were not based on evidence.

He argued that the US decision was politically motivated, coinciding with recent military gains by the Sudanese army and the appointment of a new prime minister.

The minister went further, accusing Washington of ignoring atrocities committed in Darfur and other regions, and blamed the United Arab Emirates for fuelling the violence. 

Aleiser alleged that the UAE had supplied the RSF with American-made weapons, drones, and financial backing.

“This unfair and unilateral decision strips the US of what remains of its credibility,” he said, claiming it would also “close the doors of influence in Sudan” to Washington.

Sudan is a party to the Chemical Weapons Convention, which prohibits the development, production, and use of chemical arms. Being found in violation of the agreement is a serious diplomatic warning and puts the de facto government even more at odds with the international community as the war continues.