US imposes fresh sanctions on Sudan over alleged chemical weapons use

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The United States has imposed a second round of sanctions on Sudan over allegations that the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) used prohibited chemical weapons during the country's ongoing civil war.

The sanctions, which took effect on July 20, expand export controls, impose additional financial and aviation-related restrictions, and require the US to oppose loans and financial assistance to Sudan through international financial institutions.

The measures build on sanctions introduced in 2025 after Washington determined that Sudan had violated the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC).

According to the US Department of State, the latest sanctions are based on a rigorous and independent national technical assessment that concluded prohibited chemical weapons were used during the conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which began on April 15, 2023.

Addressing the 112th Session of the Executive Council of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in The Hague, US Ambassador Nicole Shampaine said the use of chemical weapons was unacceptable.

"The prohibition on the use of chemical weapons is absolute and non-negotiable," Shampaine said, urging Sudan to grant the OPCW Technical Secretariat "immediate, transparent and unrestricted access" to investigate the allegations.

The United States also dismissed Sudan's decision to establish a national committee to investigate the claims, arguing that domestic inquiries cannot replace independent international verification.

"Domestic bureaucratic mechanisms are not a substitute for treaty compliance and independent verification," the US delegation said, adding that it had shared its technical assessment with Sudanese authorities and urged them to cooperate with the OPCW.

During the OPCW Executive Council meeting, Chad warned that any possession or use of chemical weapons in Sudan would threaten the security and stability of neighbouring countries.

Sudan, which joined the Chemical Weapons Convention in 1999 and currently serves on the OPCW Executive Council, has strongly denied the allegations.

In a statement, Sudan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation described the sanctions as unilateral and illegal and based on false allegations.

The ministry maintained that Sudan neither produces, possesses nor uses chemical weapons.

US officials said the sanctions are aimed at those responsible for the alleged violations rather than the Sudanese population and include exemptions for humanitarian and food assistance.

However, Washington warned that the risk of further chemical weapons use remains a concern, while reiterating its willingness to support Sudan if it complies with its obligations under the Chemical Weapons Convention.

The latest sanctions are expected to deepen Sudan's diplomatic and economic isolation as the civil war enters its fourth year, with Washington pushing for an independent OPCW investigation. At the same time, Khartoum continues to reject the allegations as politically motivated.