US Accuses Sudan of Chemical Weapons Use

The State Department recently charged Sudanese forces with deploying chemical weapons amid an ongoing civil conflict with the Paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). This accusation comes as the military government in Sudan has firmly denied the claims, suggesting that Washington is in collusion with the RSF.

State Department spokesperson Tammy Blues stated, “The US has determined that the Sudanese government used chemical weapons in 2024, violating the Chemical Weapons Convention.” As a consequence, the US plans to introduce new sanctions that will limit American exports to Sudan and curtail the Sudanese government’s access to US credit.

The decision to utilize chemical weapons, according to the State Department, was made on April 24, 2025, following suspicions of breaking the Chemical Weapons Treaty (CWC) that emerged in 2024. This led to the Department informing Congress, which initiates a 15-day notice period before sanctions take effect.

Bruce emphasized the urgency, stating, “The US urges the Sudanese government to cease all chemical weapon use and adhere to its CWC obligations.” However, he didn’t specify the types of chemical agents allegedly used. A report from January indicated that senior officials claimed the Sudanese military had targeted RSF aircraft with chlorine gas at least twice.

Concerns are mounting that the junta might expand the use of chemical weapons in areas where a denser population is caught in the crossfire. According to two US officials, the top brass in Sudan’s military were aware of the chemical weapons program. It’s reported that General Abdel Fatta al-Burhan, the leader of the junta, approved significant developments regarding this issue.

Moreover, the Ministry of Finance highlighted “fatal attacks on civilians, including airstrikes on protected sites such as schools and hospitals,” which contributed to sanctions against Burhan for utilizing starvation as a tactic in warfare. While specific violations related to chemical weapons were not the primary focus of these sanctions, they were considered during discussions about them.

Burhan’s administration has accused the United States of using these allegations as “political threats.” Khalid al-Eiser, the information minister, claimed that the narrative being pushed by Washington is an attempt to distort public understanding. He further argued that the US remains silent on documented human rights abuses occurring in Darfur and elsewhere, supposedly backed by the Emirate, which has been accused of supplying advanced weaponry to militias.

Interestingly, the Burhan administration has also been attributing accusations to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) regarding supplying arms to the RSF. A recent Amnesty International report highlighted that sophisticated Chinese weapons may have been funneled into Sudan by the UAE, violating existing arms embargoes.

Photographic evidence following RSF assaults reportedly shows the use of Chinese-made guided bombs. The UAE has outright denied these allegations, labeling them unfounded and lacking empirical support, while the Deputy Minister of the Military Office has reiterated that the UAE does not supply arms to any parties involved in the Sudan conflict.