US imposes new sanctions on Sudan over alleged chemical weapons attacks

The U.S. State Department announced a new round of sanctions against the Sudanese government, accusing it of deploying chemical weapons, specifically chlorine, against rival paramilitary forces in 2024. The sanctions, effective immediately, restrict Sudan's access to U.S. financing and exports and bar Sudan‑owned airlines from U.S. airspace.

The measures follow earlier sanctions on commanders of the Rapid Support Forces for alleged genocide in Darfur. U.S. officials cite media reports that army chief Abdel Fattah al‑Burhan approved the dropping of two chlorine barrels near the al‑Jaili oil refinery north of Khartoum in September 2024. Sudan’s army‑aligned government has denied the accusations, calling them baseless political blackmail.

The sanctions come amid a war that began in April 2023 between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces, which has caused a humanitarian crisis affecting roughly 20 million people, with over 200,000 deaths reported.