{"id":20121483,"date":"2025-10-10T20:30:41","date_gmt":"2025-10-10T18:30:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dabangasudan.org\/?p=20121483"},"modified":"2025-10-10T20:31:09","modified_gmt":"2025-10-10T18:31:09","slug":"france-24-corroborates-us-claims-of-sudan-chemical-weapons-use","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dabangasudan.org\/en\/all-news\/article\/france-24-corroborates-us-claims-of-sudan-chemical-weapons-use","title":{"rendered":"\u2018France 24 corroborates US claims of Sudan chemical weapons use\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A France 24<\/em> investigation published yesterday, found that the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) used chlorine gas during two airstrikes on the El Jeili oil refinery northeast of Khartoum and its surroundings in September 2024, while attempting to retake the area from the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In t<\/a>heir report<\/a>, the Observers team in Paris analysed photos and videos from the sites using open-source techniques. Five chemical weapons experts confirmed that the attacks were consistent with chlorine barrel bombs, a weapon only the SAF can deploy by air.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They also alleged that one chlorine shipment was traced to a Sudanese company importing the chemical from India for \u201cwater purification\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The use of chlorine gas breaches Sudan\u2019s commitments under the 1999 Chemical Weapons Convention and may constitute a war crime under the Rome Statute. The SAF and Sudanese government declined France 24\u2019s<\/em> requests for comment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Human Rights Watch (HRW) has affirmed that recent evidence of chemical weapons use by the Sudanese army aligns with earlier US allegations in May 2024. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The\u00a0US State Department<\/a>\u00a0formally accused Sudan\u2019s government of breaching international law during its ongoing war with the RSF on May 22, 2025, citing chlorine gas attacks in 2024 as documented in Congressional reports.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In an article published yesterday<\/a>\u00a0by HRW\u2019s Crisis and Conflict Director Ida Sawyer, she described the findings as providing \u201cthe first public confirmation\u201d of these claims and called for an independent international inquiry, urging full cooperation from all member states of the Chemical Weapons Convention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sudan initially dismissed the State Department\u2019s accusations as politically motivated following the United States\u2019 chemical weapons determination, with officials claiming the US and its regional allies, including the\u00a0UAE<\/a>, are misrepresenting the facts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Head of the Sovereignty Council and Commander-in-Chief of the SAF, Lt Gen Abdelfattah El Burhan, has since\u00a0formed a committee<\/a>\u00a0to investigate the veracity of the US\u2019s claims.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The committee, which includes representatives from key ministries and intelligence bodies, has been instructed to report its findings immediately. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Officials stated that the move reflects Sudan\u2019s commitment to international treaties and rejected Washington\u2019s allegations as baseless.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a party to the Chemical Weapons Convention, Sudan faces serious diplomatic and legal pressure, highlighting the tension between ongoing military operations and the country\u2019s international obligations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2018Chemical agents used by RSF\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In North Darfur\u2019s capital, El Fasher, the Resistance Committees accused the RSF in a statement\u00a0earlier this week<\/a>\u00a0of using drones to drop \u201cstrange projectiles\u201d that emitted strong, unusual odours in residential areas. They cited medical sources reporting symptoms consistent with exposure to toxic or irritant chemicals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Radio Dabanga has not been able to independently verify these reports.<\/p>\n