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| War broke out in Khartoum in mid-April |
On Friday, the U.S. Department of State announced the implementation of new sanctions on Sudan, citing the Sudanese army's alleged use of chemical weapons in the ongoing conflict that erupted in April 2023. But what exactly do these sanctions entail, and what evidence does Washington rely on for such accusations?
According to the State Department, the sanctions are being enforced under the Chemical and Biological Weapons Control and Warfare Elimination Act of 1991. This law mandates immediate punitive measures as well as phased restrictions over time.
Immediate Sanctions and Their Scope
The initial penalties include the suspension of non-humanitarian aid, a ban on licenses for the sale of weapons or dual-use technologies, halted export support, and a prohibition on loans or credit guarantees from U.S. banks to the Sudanese government—excluding transactions for food and agricultural goods.
If Sudan’s military leadership fails to comply with specific conditions outlined by the U.S. within 90 days, harsher penalties could follow. These may include blocking access to international financial institutions, such as opposing World Bank and IMF loans, triggering diplomatic isolation through downgraded U.S. representation, and banning Sudanese airlines from U.S. airspace.
Washington’s Justification
A senior diplomat from the U.S. mission to the UN confirmed that the sanctions are based on verified evidence. He said the Biden administration has worked alongside Congress and the United Nations to collect data proving the Sudanese army’s use of chemical weapons during the conflict.
In January, The New York Times cited four senior U.S. officials who said chemical weapons were deployed at least twice by the Sudanese army in remote areas. Two of them confirmed that chlorine gas—a substance capable of causing serious harm to humans, animals, and water sources—was used.
Eyewitness Accounts from Darfur
Although Sudanese authorities in Port Sudan have denied the allegations, local residents in North Darfur have shared images of charred and swollen corpses, discolored water tanks, and shells labeled as containing gas.
A previous Sky News Arabia investigation quoted a local official from North Darfur describing unusual aftermaths of approximately 130 airstrikes on the Kuma and Malit areas in recent months.
These anomalies included burned and disfigured bodies, bloated corpses, unexplained animal deaths, and changes in soil and water coloration. The official confirmed that dozens of pieces of evidence had been collected—ranging from video footage and survivor testimonies to soil samples, remains of both humans and animals, and water taken from a nearby stream that had turned pink due to suspected chemical contamination.
Rising Health Concerns in the Capital
In Khartoum, medical and environmental sources have also reported evidence of new, unexplained illnesses linked to recent air pollution.
Reports linked this health crisis to a drone strike in mid-May on a university building believed to have stored weapons belonging to the "Al-Bara bin Malik" battalions fighting alongside the Sudanese army.
