U.S. Imposes Sanctions on Sudan Over Chemical Weapons

The U.S. State Department announced a new round of sanctions against the Sudanese government on Monday, accusing it of using chemical weapons in its ongoing conflict against rival paramilitary forces, specifically the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

The sanctions come amidst allegations of war crimes and genocide in Darfur, with the U.S. citing reports of the Sudanese military dropping chlorine gas barrels in September 2024. The Sudanese military, led by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, has denied these allegations, labeling them as baseless political blackmail.

The sanctions aim to limit Sudan's access to financial resources and impose an export ban, further straining a country already facing severe humanitarian crises, with nearly 20 million people suffering from acute food insecurity. The U.S. has previously removed Sudan from its list of state sponsors of terrorism but reintroduced sanctions following a coup in 2021.

The ongoing conflict has resulted in over 200,000 deaths and numerous atrocities against civilians.