UN panel reports chemical weapons allegations against Sudan army

A policeman walks near tires set aflame by Sudanese protesters marking the first anniversary of a raid on an anti-government sit-in, in the Riyadh district in the east of Khartoum on June 3, 2020. [AFP]

A United Nations panel in Geneva has warned that the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) may have used chemical weapons in its war against the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) as the world's attention drifts from what has become the largest displacement and hunger crisis globally.

Speaking during the fifty-ninth session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) at the Palais des Nations on Tuesday, Mona Rishmawi, a member of the United Nations Independent International Fact-Finding Mission for Sudan (IIFM), noted that allegations of banned weapons use have surfaced as civilian suffering worsens and the international community struggles to stop the conflict.

"This bloody civil war, which neither party is capable of winning, must end immediately," said Rishmawi.

The panel observed that more than 150,000 people have died in Sudan's conflict, while nearly 13 million have been forced to flee their homes. About 30 million people now need urgent humanitarian assistance as famine warnings grow.

Victor Digbal from Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) explained that Sudan's economy has collapsed, major cities lie in ruins and hospitals face severe shortages as violence continues.

The panel noted that while the United States (US) imposed sanctions on the SAF following reports of chemical weapons use, global efforts to address the crisis remain limited. Attempts to negotiate peace have repeatedly stalled, with the SAF accused of avoiding talks and resisting moves toward civilian rule.

"Sudan's army has yet to present any political vision to end the conflict and continues to believe it can win by force," said Digbal.

Ambassador George Papadatos, Head of the European Public Law Organisation's (EPLO) Permanent Mission in Geneva, chaired the event and called for stronger global action to halt the violence and seek accountability.

"The time has come for the international community to fully assume its responsibilities and silence the guns," said Papadatos.

The session also featured Ezzeddine Zayani, President of the Tunisian Centre for Comprehensive Security Studies (TCCSS), who observed that as Sudan's conflict worsens, regional stability could be at risk if the crisis is ignored.