U.S. imposes sanctions on African country over chemical weapons use

The U.S. announced sanctions against Sudan due to chemical weapons usage by its military.
Sanctions entail export restrictions and limits on government credit lines, effective June 6.
Sudan's civil war has caused extensive humanitarian crises since its start in April 2023.

The United States has announced sanctions against Sudan following the determination that the Sudanese military used chemical weapons during the country's ongoing civil war.

The United States determined under the Chemical and Biological Weapons Control and Warfare Elimination Act of 1991 (the CBW Act) that the Government of Sudan used chemical weapons in 2024.

Following a 15-day Congressional notification period, the United States will impose sanctions on Sudan, including restrictions on U.S. exports to Sudan and on access to U.S. government lines of credit. The measures are set to take effect around June 6, after public notification.

The United States also called on the Government of Sudan to cease all chemical weapons use and uphold its obligations under the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC).

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The U.S. has previously imposed penalties on Sudanese military leaders for their roles in the conflict. In January, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, head of the Sudanese Armed Forces, was sanctioned for allegedly choosing war over negotiations to bring an end to the conflict.

The civil war in Sudan, which began in April 2023, has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths and displaced millions, leading to what the United Nations describes as one of the world's worst humanitarian crises.

Foreign influence

The conflict has also evolved into a dangerous proxy war, drawing in foreign powers like Russia, Iran, Turkey, and most notably, the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

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The UAE’s involvement has come under increasing scrutiny following reports that Bulgarian-made weapons were found among ammunition used by Sudanese rebel forces.

In April, UAE state media reported that officials had intercepted an illegal arms shipment linked to Sudanese military figures.

According to the WAM news agency, security agents discovered about five million rounds of ammunition on a private jet at an undisclosed airport, leading to several arrests.