The United States will impose new sanctions on Sudan after determining that the country’s government used chemical weapons during its war with the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), Africanews via AP reported on May 23rd.
The finding, made in April under US law, accuses the Sudanese government of violating the international Chemical Weapons Convention. The sanctions, which will be effective on approximately June 6th, will limit US exports to Sudan and government-backed credit.
According to US officials, chlorine gas was likely deployed at least twice in remote areas of Sudan in 2024. Sudan has denied the allegations, calling them politically-driven and untrue.
The war in Sudan broke out in April 2023, sparked by a power struggle between the Sudanese Armed Forces, led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the RSF, commanded by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo.
The conflict has escalated into one of the world’s most severe humanitarian catastrophe, displacing over 13 million people and killing tens of thousands.
On march 24th, he UN migration agency reported that 15,000 homes have faced displacement from the North Darfur State town of Al-Malha. According to Middle East Monitor via Anadolu Agency , the agency believes the continuous fighting creates a “tense and unpredictable” situation that forces residents to escape to areas they perceive as safer.
But a report from Amnesty International documented 36 cases of rape, gang rape, and sexual slavery committed by the RSF between April 2023 and October last year, Middle East Eye reported on April 11th. The sexual violence adds another disturbing dimension to the humanitarian crisis.
previously this year, Washington sanctioned both Burhan and Dagalo, citing their roles in atrocities and war crimes. The new sanctions follow a growing pattern of international scrutiny, as the war shows little sign of slowing and reports of abuses continue to mount.
Africanews via AP, Middle East Monitor via Anadolu Agency, Middle East Eye
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