Washington - Khartoum: Europe and the Arabs
The United States announced new sanctions on Sudan after accusing the military-run government of using chemical weapons against its opponents during the civil war, without providing details on where or when the weapons were used. These measures coincide with escalating tensions between the warring parties and the worsening humanitarian crisis in the country. According to the Brussels-based Euronews website, Washington announced new sanctions on Sudan, accusing the military-run government of using chemical weapons over the past year against its opponents in the civil war that has been raging for more than two years.
US State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce said in a statement that the Sudanese military council had violated the Chemical Weapons Convention.
She added: "The United States calls on the government of Sudan to cease the use of chemical weapons and fulfill its obligations under the Chemical Weapons Convention." The convention obliges signatory states to destroy their chemical weapons stockpiles.
Bruce did not provide details on where or when these banned weapons were used. However, the New York Times reported earlier this year, citing senior US officials, that Sudanese government forces had used chlorine gas to target Rapid Support Forces in remote areas.
The final round of US sanctions is expected to take effect around June 6, and includes restrictions on US exports to Sudan and access to US government loans.
In January, the United States imposed sanctions on the commander of the Rapid Support Forces, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as "Hemedti," whose forces and proxies have been accused of committing genocide during the armed conflict.
Former US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said at the time that the Rapid Support Forces and allied militias had killed civilians and committed sexual violence against women on an ethnic basis.
A week after imposing sanctions on Hemedti, the Biden administration also announced sanctions on military commander Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, Hemedti's main opponent, whose soldiers are alleged to have committed war crimes. The civil war in Sudan began in April 2023, following the collapse of the alliance between Burhan and Hemedti, quickly turning into a bloody power struggle.
The United Nations estimates that tens of thousands of people have been killed in the conflict, and some 13 million have been forced to flee their homes to escape the violence.
It also notes that famine has spread widely across the country, and aid workers describe the humanitarian situation in Sudan as the worst humanitarian crisis in the world.