US imposes sanctions on Sudan over chemical weapons use in 2024 conflict

Nevin Al Sukari - Sana'a - Sudan's General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan arrives with his officials and guards in the military airport of Port Sudan, Sudan, August 27, 2023. Washington in January imposed sanctions on army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, accusing him of choosing war over negotiations to bring an end to the conflict. — Reuters pic

WASHINGTON, May 23 — The United States said yesterday it would impose sanctions on Sudan after determining that its government used chemical weapons in 2024 during the army’s conflict with the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, a charge the army denied.

Measures against Sudan will include limits on US exports and US government lines of credit and will take effect around June 6, after Congress was notified yesterday, State 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 treaty banning the use of such weapons.

In a statement, Sudan rejected the move, and described the allegations as false.

“This interference, which lacks any moral or legal basis, deprives Washington of what is left of its credibility and closes the door to any influence in Sudan,” government spokesperson Khalid al-Eisir said on Friday.

The war in Sudan erupted in April 2023 from a power struggle between the army and the RSF, unleashing waves of ethnic violence, creating the world’s worst humanitarian crisis and plunging several areas into famine. Tens of thousands of people have been killed and about 13 million displaced.

Washington in January imposed sanctions on army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, accusing him of choosing war over negotiations to bring an end to the conflict.

The US has also determined members of the RSF and allied militias committed genocide and imposed sanctions on some of the group’s leadership, including RSF leader General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemedti.

The New York Times reported in January, citing four senior US officials, that the Sudanese army had used chemical weapons at least twice during the conflict, deploying the weapons in remote areas of the country.

Two officials briefed on the matter said the chemical weapons appeared to use chlorine gas, which can cause lasting damage to human tissue, the New York Times reported at the time.

Bruce’s statement said the US had formally determined on April 24 under the Chemical and Biological Weapons Control and Warfare Elimination Act of 1991 that the government of Sudan used chemical weapons last year, but did not specify what weapons were used, precisely when or where.

“The United States remains fully committed to hold to account those responsible for contributing to chemical weapons proliferation,” Bruce said.

“The intention here is to distract from the recent campaign in Congress against the UAE,” a Sudanese diplomatic source said.

The source said the US could have gone to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons to investigate the claims and neglected to do so.

Sudan’s government is aligned with the army.

It cut diplomatic relations with the UAE this month, saying the Gulf power was aiding the RSF with supplies of advanced weaponry in the devastating conflict that broke out following disagreements over the integration of the two forces.

The UAE has denied the allegations and says it supports humanitarian and peace efforts.

US congressional Democrats sought last Thursday to block arms sales to the United Arab Emirates over its alleged involvement in the war.

Sudan said this week that the United Arab Emirates was responsible for an attack on Port Sudan this month, accusing the Gulf state for the first time of direct military intervention in the war.

The UAE denied the allegations in a statement and said it condemned the attack. — Reuters