The United States has imposed another round of sanctions on Sudan’s army-aligned government over allegations that it used chemical weapons during the country’s ongoing civil war.
According to AFP, the measures took effect on Monday and further restrict Sudan’s access to international financing, American exports and the United States aviation system.
The sanctions include US opposition to loans, financial assistance and technical support for Sudan from international financial institutions.
They also introduce additional export restrictions and prevent Sudanese state-owned airlines from operating in the United States or using American airspace.
US cites alleged 2024 chemical attacks
The US State Department previously determined that the Sudanese government used chemical weapons in 2024 during its conflict with the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.
Washington said the alleged action violated Sudan’s obligations under the Chemical Weapons Convention, which the country ratified in 1999.
However, American authorities have not publicly disclosed full details about the type of chemical agent used or the exact locations and dates of the alleged attacks.
Sudan’s army-aligned government has repeatedly denied the accusation, describing it as baseless and politically motivated.
Sudanese officials have also accused Washington of using the allegation as political blackmail against the government.
Media reports point to chlorine gas
Although the US government has not released detailed evidence publicly, international media investigations have alleged that the Sudanese Army used chlorine during at least two attacks in 2024.
Reports said aircraft dropped two barrels containing chlorine gas near the Al-Jaili oil refinery, north of Khartoum, in September 2024.
The Rapid Support Forces controlled the area and Sudan’s largest oil facility at the time of the alleged attacks.
Investigators reportedly examined open-source information, social media footage and assessments from chemical weapons experts before reaching their conclusions.
Reports also alleged that Sudanese Army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan directly approved the use of the chemical agent.
However, the Sudanese government has continued to reject the claims, while no independent international inspection has publicly confirmed all the allegations.
Sudan has faced similar accusations in the past
The Sudanese Army has faced previous accusations of using chemical weapons during conflicts in the country.
In 2016, Amnesty International accused government forces, then fighting alongside the RSF, of using chemical weapons against civilians in Darfur.
The Sudanese government denied the findings.
The United States also destroyed the Al-Shifa pharmaceutical factory in Khartoum with missiles in 1998 after alleging that the facility produced chemical components linked to Al-Qaeda.
Sudanese authorities rejected the allegation and maintained that the factory manufactured medicines.
Sanctions return after brief improvement in relations
Relations between Washington and Khartoum remained strained for decades under former Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir.
The US initially imposed sanctions on Sudan in the early 1990s and later tightened them over allegations of terrorism support and atrocities in Darfur.
Following Bashir’s removal in 2019, Washington removed Sudan from its list of state sponsors of terrorism and began easing some restrictions.
However, the United States reintroduced several measures after the 2021 military takeover led by Burhan and his then-deputy, RSF commander Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, popularly known as Hemeti.
The alliance between the two military leaders later collapsed, triggering the civil war in April 2023.
Washington has since imposed separate sanctions on both Burhan and Hemeti over their roles in the conflict.
Civilians bear cost of prolonged war
Sudan’s war has created one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises, displacing millions of people and leaving nearly 20 million facing acute food insecurity.
Aid workers estimate that the conflict has killed more than 200,000 people, although obtaining an accurate figure remains difficult because fighting has restricted access to several areas.
Both the Sudanese Army and the RSF have faced accusations of committing atrocities against civilians.
The United States has also accused the RSF and allied militias of committing genocide in Darfur and imposed sanctions on several commanders.
Washington has supported negotiations and proposed a humanitarian truce, but repeated attempts to bring both sides to the negotiating table have failed.
The latest sanctions are expected to place additional pressure on Sudan’s government, although critics warn that economic restrictions have historically affected ordinary civilians more severely than the country’s military and political leaders.
