The Times of India and Stripes (May 23, 2025). Also, according to Xinhua News Agency United States of America imposes new sanctions against Sudan over allegations that its military used chemical weapons in its ongoing civil war with paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The U.S. State Department stated these measures as a response to violations of Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), to which Sudan is signatory. Times of India +11 (APN +11); Anadolu Ajansi +11 and The Washington Post all report these news of sanctions being announced against Sudan. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce recently detailed sanctions that will take place against Sudan starting June 6, 2025 after being approved by Congress following a 15-day notification period. These measures are scheduled to come into force around that date after receiving congressional notification. She further emphasised that the US calls upon Sudanese leaders to cease chemical weapon use and uphold their obligations under CWC, calling on them all at once for this issue. These include restrictions on exports from the U.S. as well as access restrictions to government credit lines – the latter set to come into effect following 15-day congressional notification period before going into effect around that day following 15-day congressional notification period. She reiterated US calls upon them all as she stated previously on CWC violations from May 20, 2025 onward. For example Semafor +7; Al Jazeera +7; Xinhua News +7 and Stars and Stripes +6 and Reuters for coverage on Al Jazeera +7 but that no coverage. Xinhua News +7 for their coverage on Al Jazeera +7 and Stars and Stripes +6. Reuters +6. Reports indicate that Sudanese government forces may have used chlorine gas on at least two occasions in remote parts of their country in 2024 – although it is widely used industrially, its harmful effects pose international legal violations that should not be used as weapons against human health. BBC, Al Jazeera and Euronews all reported such chemical weapon usage allegations as recently as March. Sudanese officials have strongly rejected these allegations. Information Minister Khalid Al-Ayesir described U.S. actions as political blackmail and distortion of facts related to Sudan. He accused Washington of adopting policies which hinder peace and stability for Sudanese people. Xinhua News +2 Anadolu Ajansi +2 BBC +3 This information comes from: Xinhua News (+1), Anadolu Ajansi (+2) and BBC. Civil war broke out in Sudan on April 20, 2023 as a result of power struggles between General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan’s Sudan Armed Forces (SAF), led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemedti’s RSF), also known as Hemedti, as part of their power struggle over resources. Tens of thousands have died and millions displaced due to this conflict which has created one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises (Wikipedia +7 >>, Hemedti). All major media sources report on this story (The Washington Post +7 >>, Wikipedia +7 >>, Al Jazeera +7 as sources) have reported on this conflict as has Al Jazeera +7 Al Jazeera +7 Al Jazeera +7 Al Jazeera +10 and Al Jazeera +7). +1 In addition to recently sanctioning both parties involved in the conflict, the United States has already taken measures against both. For example, in January 2025 they sanctioned General al-Burhan for blocking humanitarian aid and attacking civilian infrastructure while RSF and Hemedti have been hit with sanctions for engaging in acts of atrocity, such as genocide during this conflict (AP News; Wikipedia). International opinion has expressed alarm at Sudan’s spiraling violence and humanitarian disaster. According to United Nations reports, over 25 million people require humanitarian aid with famine conditions evident in various regions of Sudan. Peace negotiations have become more complicated by foreign actors entering into conflicts as well as complex dynamics between warring factions. As the situation in Sudan worsens, the United States and other international actors have called upon all parties to end hostilities and engage in meaningful dialogue to end this conflict and meet humanitarian needs in Sudan.
