Friday marked the start of sweeping US sanctions imposed on Sudan, following accusations that the Sudanese army deployed chemical weapons during its conflict against the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
The US State Department announced it had obtained credible evidence confirming the Sudanese government’s use of lethal chemical and biological weapons against civilians, an act it described as a flagrant violation of international law.
Under the Chemical and Biological Weapons Control and Warfare Elimination Act, the sanctions immediately suspend nearly all US assistance to Sudan, excluding only emergency humanitarian aid.
The measures include an outright ban on defense-related sales and financing, the denial of access to any US government funding - including loans or credits from the Export-Import Bank - and restrictions on the export of sensitive goods and technologies tied to national security.
While humanitarian aid remains exempt, each case will undergo individual review. The sanctions also carve out exceptions for exports to civilian airlines and US businesses operating in Sudan. Officials indicated the measures would remain in place for at least a year, subject to renewal.
Last month, State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce revealed that Washington had concluded Sudanese forces used chemical weapons earlier in 2024 and had formally notified Congress before enacting the penalties.
Sudanese authorities have so far issued no official response, though the Ministry of Information previously rejected the allegations as “baseless political blackmail,” claiming that US interventions “lack moral and legal foundation” and have eroded Washington’s credibility in Sudan.
Since April 2023, Sudan has been engulfed in a brutal war between the army, led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the RSF, commanded by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, widely known as “Hemedti.” The fighting has killed tens of thousands and displaced over 13 million people, according to UN estimates.
In recent weeks, RSF units have subjected the city of El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, to relentless artillery and drone attacks targeting army positions, resulting in heavy civilian casualties. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has appealed to Sudan’s leadership to agree to a humanitarian ceasefire to allow aid deliveries to besieged areas.
Meanwhile, the UN Security Council has warned that the conflict is driving Sudan toward a humanitarian catastrophe. Fighting in Darfur and Kordofan has intensified, with all sides vying to secure territorial gains.
Martha Pobee, Assistant Secretary-General for African Affairs, briefed the Council, citing a surge in extrajudicial killings, sexual violence against women, child recruitment, and attacks on humanitarian workers.
She urged the Council to press for an immediate humanitarian truce in El Fasher to protect civilians and facilitate aid, while calling on the UN envoy to Sudan to use diplomatic leverage to de-escalate the crisis.
Diplomats from the UK, Russia, South Korea, and Greece also sounded alarms over the deteriorating humanitarian situation, noting that Sudan now faces the largest displacement crisis in Africa’s recent history.
Sudan’s UN representative defended government efforts to secure humanitarian corridors and support voluntary returns, stating that 350,000 families have already gone back to their homes in ten states.
