The U.S. will impose sanctions on Sudan after determining that its government used chemical weapons during 2024 clashes between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, the State Department announced Thursday.
The sanctions – which include restrictions on U.S. exports and government credit lines – are set to take effect around June 6, following congressional notification, department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said in a statement.
“The United States calls on the government of Sudan to cease all chemical weapons use and uphold its obligations under the CWC,” Bruce said, referring to the Chemical Weapons Convention.
Sudan’s Foreign Ministry has not responded to the announcement.
The war in Sudan erupted in April 2023 from a power struggle between the army and the RSF, unleashing waves of ethnic violence, creating one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises and plunging several regions into famine.
Tens of thousands of people have been killed and about 13 million displaced.
In January, Washington imposed sanctions on army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, accusing him of choosing war over negotiations to end the conflict.
The U.S. has also determined that members of the RSF and allied militias committed genocide and has imposed sanctions on some of the group’s leadership, including RSF leader Gen. Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemedti.
The New York Times reported in January, citing four senior U.S. officials, that the Sudanese army had used chemical weapons at least twice during the conflict, deploying the weapons in remote areas.
Two officials briefed on the matter said the chemical weapons appeared to involve chlorine gas, which can cause lasting damage to human tissue, the Times reported.
Bruce said the United States formally determined on April 24, under the Chemical and Biological Weapons Control and Warfare Elimination Act of 1991, that the Sudanese government used chemical weapons in 2024. The statement did not specify which weapons were used, or precisely when or where.
“The United States remains fully committed to holding accountable those responsible for contributing to chemical weapons proliferation,” Bruce said.
A Sudanese diplomatic source called the move a distraction.
“The intention here is to distract from the recent campaign in Congress against the UAE,” the source said.
The source also said the United States could have taken the case to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, but chose not to.
Sudan cut diplomatic ties with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) earlier this month, accusing the Gulf nation of supplying advanced weaponry to the RSF.
The UAE has denied the allegations, saying it supports humanitarian and peace efforts.
Last Thursday, congressional Democrats sought to block arms sales to the UAE over its alleged involvement in the conflict.
Sudan said earlier this week that the UAE was responsible for an attack on Port Sudan, marking the first time it has accused the Gulf state of direct military intervention.
The UAE denied the allegation in a statement and said it condemned the attack.
