US sanctions Sudan over chemical weapons

The United States imposed a new round of sanctions on Sudan's army-aligned government on Monday, accusing it of using chemical weapons in its conflict with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The sanctions restrict Sudan's access to US financing and exports and ban Sudan-owned airlines from US airspace. The US State Department determined last year that Sudan violated the Chemical Weapons Convention by using chemical weapons in 2024, though details of the attacks have not been publicly disclosed. International media reports, including from The New York Times and France 24, have alleged that the Sudanese military used chlorine gas in at least two incidents, including a September 2024 attack near the al-Jaili oil refinery. Sudan's government has denied the allegations. The civil war between the Sudanese army and the RSF, which began in April 2023, has led to a severe humanitarian crisis, with the United Nations reporting nearly 20 million people facing acute food insecurity and over 200,000 killed. US-led peace efforts, including talks with Saudi Arabia, have failed to end the conflict.