Latest news with #ChemicalWeaponsConvention
Egypt Independent
3 days ago
- Politics
- Egypt Independent
US to impose sanctions on Sudan after finding government used chemical weapons
(Reuters) – The United States said on Thursday it would impose sanctions on Sudan after determining that its government used chemical weapons in 2024 during the army's conflict with the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, a charge the army denied. Measures against Sudan will include limits on US exports and US government lines of credit and will take effect around June 6, after Congress was notified on Thursday, State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said in a statement. 'The United States calls on the Government of Sudan to cease all chemical weapons use and uphold its obligations under the CWC,' Bruce said, referring to the Chemical Weapons Convention treaty banning the use of such weapons. In a statement, Sudan rejected the move, and described the allegations as false. 'This interference, which lacks any moral or legal basis, deprives Washington of what is left of its credibility and closes the door to any influence in Sudan,' government spokesperson Khalid al-Eisir said on Friday. The war in Sudan erupted in April 2023 from a power struggle between the army and the RSF, unleashing waves of ethnic violence, creating the world's worst humanitarian crisis and plunging several areas into famine. Tens of thousands of people have been killed and about 13 million displaced. Washington in January imposed sanctions on army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, accusing him of choosing war over negotiations to bring an end to the conflict. The US has also determined members of the RSF and allied militias committed genocide and imposed sanctions on some of the group's leadership, including RSF leader General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemedti. The New York Times reported in January, citing four senior US officials, that the Sudanese army had used chemical weapons at least twice during the conflict, deploying the weapons in remote areas of the country. Two officials briefed on the matter said the chemical weapons appeared to use chlorine gas, which can cause lasting damage to human tissue, the New York Times reported at the time. Bruce's statement said the US had formally determined on April 24 under the Chemical and Biological Weapons Control and Warfare Elimination Act of 1991 that the government of Sudan used chemical weapons last year, but did not specify what weapons were used, precisely when or where. 'The United States remains fully committed to hold to account those responsible for contributing to chemical weapons proliferation,' Bruce said. 'The intention here is to distract from the recent campaign in Congress against the UAE,' a Sudanese diplomatic source said. The source said the US could have gone to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons to investigate the claims and neglected to do so. Sudan's government is aligned with the army. It cut diplomatic relations with the UAE this month, saying the Gulf power was aiding the RSF with supplies of advanced weaponry in the devastating conflict that broke out following disagreements over the integration of the two forces. The UAE has denied the allegations and says it supports humanitarian and peace efforts. US congressional Democrats sought last Thursday to block arms sales to the United Arab Emirates over its alleged involvement in the war. Sudan said this week that the United Arab Emirates was responsible for an attack on Port Sudan this month, accusing the Gulf state for the first time of direct military intervention in the war. The UAE denied the allegations in a statement and said it condemned the attack.
Scoop
6 days ago
- Politics
- Scoop
Imposing Measures On Sudan For Its Use Of Chemical Weapons
TAMMY BRUCE, DEPARTMENT SPOKESPERSON MAY 22, 2025 On April 24, 2025, 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. This determination was delivered to Congress today, along with an addendum to the April 15, 2025, Condition 10(C) Report on Compliance with the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) that finds the Government of Sudan in non-compliance with the CWC, to which it is a party. 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 sanctions will take effect upon publication of a notice in the Federal Register, expected on or around June 6, 2025. The United States calls on the Government of Sudan to cease all chemical weapons use and uphold its obligations under the CWC. The United States remains fully committed to hold to account those responsible for contributing to chemical weapons proliferation.
Al Etihad
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Al Etihad
US says Sudan used chemical weapons, imposes sanctions
23 May 2025 08:00 Washington (AFP) The United States said Thursday that it had determined that Sudan's military used chemical weapons in the country's bloody civil war last year and will impose sanctions on Khartoum."The United States calls on the Government of Sudan to cease all chemical weapons use and uphold its obligations" under the Chemical Weapons Convention, an international treaty signed by nearly all countries that prohibits their use, the State Department said."The United States remains fully committed to holding to account those responsible for contributing to chemical weapons proliferation," State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce said in a State Department did not immediately offer details on when and where the weapons were New York Times reported in January that Sudan's military had used chemical weapons on at least two occasions in remote areas of its war with the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).Citing anonymous US officials, the newspaper said that the weapon appeared to be chlorine gas, which can cause severe respiratory pain and State Department said it notified Congress on Thursday of its determination on the use of chemical weapons, triggering sanctions after 15 sanctions include restrictions on US exports and financing to Sudan's government.
France 24
23-05-2025
- Politics
- France 24
Sudan denies using chemical weapons in civil war after US imposes sanctions
Sudan 's army-aligned government on Friday denied US allegations that it had used chemical weapons in its war against paramilitary rivals, a day after Washington said it would impose sanctions. The reaction by the government spokesman comes after the United States said on Thursday it had determined that Sudan's military used chemical weapons in the country's bloody civil war last year and will impose sanctions. "These baseless accusations are nothing but political blackmail and a deliberate falsification of the facts," Information Minister Khalid al-Aiser said in a statement, responding to sanctions announced by Washington targeting US exports to Sudan and the government's access to US credits. The US State Department said it notified Congress on Thursday of its determination on the use of chemical weapons, triggering sanctions after 15 days. The sanctions include restrictions on US exports and financing to Sudan's government. In practical terms, the effect will be limited as both Sudan's military chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and his adversary and former deputy, Rapid Support Forces (RSF) leader Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, are already under US sanctions. Africa's third largest country has been ravaged by more than two years of war between their respective forces. The Sudan conflict has killed tens of thousands of people, displaced 13 million and created what the United Nations describes as the world's worst humanitarian crisis. 12:31 'False narrative' "The United States calls on the Government of Sudan to cease all chemical weapons use and uphold its obligations" under the Chemical Weapons Convention, an international treaty signed by nearly all countries that prohibits their use, the State Department said on Thursday. The government, now based in Port Sudan, on Friday denounced the accusations that the army had engaged in chemical warfare against its rivals. "This false narrative, which the American administration is trying to spread internationally, is just another attempt to mislead public opinion," Aiser said. He accused Washington of "complicity" with the RSF, citing in particular "the support of the United Arab Emirates". The UAE has always rejected the charge that it supplies weapons to the RSF, despite numerous reports from UN experts, US political officials and international organisations. "Washington remains silent on documented crimes against civilians in Darfur and other regions, crimes supported by the Emirates who provide militias with strategic drones and sophisticated American weapons," Aiser said. The New York Times reported in January that Sudan's military had used chemical weapons on at least two occasions in remote areas in its war with the RSF. Citing anonymous US officials, the newspaper said that the weapon appeared to be chlorine gas, which can cause severe respiratory pain and death. Sudan's army said on Tuesday it had dislodged the RSF from their last positions in Omdurman, securing all of greater Khartoum nearly two months after recapturing the heart of the capital. The war has effectively split Sudan in two, with the army holding the centre, north and east while the RSF controls nearly all of Darfur and, with its allies, parts of the south.
Daily Maverick
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Maverick
US to impose sanctions on Sudan after finding government used chemical weapons
By Simon Lewis and Daphne Psaledakis Measures against Sudan will include limits on U.S. exports and U.S. government lines of credit and will take effect around June 6, after Congress was notified on Thursday, State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said in a statement. 'The United States calls on the Government of Sudan to cease all chemical weapons use and uphold its obligations under the CWC,' Bruce said, referring to the Chemical Weapons Convention treaty banning the use of such weapons. In a statement, Sudan rejected the move, and described the allegations as false. 'This interference, which lacks any moral or legal basis, deprives Washington of what is left of its credibility and closes the door to any influence in Sudan,' government spokesperson Khalid al-Eisir said on Friday. The war in Sudan erupted in April 2023 from a power struggle between the army and the RSF, unleashing waves of ethnic violence, creating the world's worst humanitarian crisis and plunging several areas into famine. Tens of thousands of people have been killed and about 13 million displaced. Washington in January imposed sanctions on army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, accusing him of choosing war over negotiations to bring an end to the conflict. The U.S. has also determined members of the RSF and allied militias committed genocide and imposed sanctions on some of the group's leadership, including RSF leader General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemedti. The New York Times reported in January, citing four senior U.S. officials, that the Sudanese army had used chemical weapons at least twice during the conflict, deploying the weapons in remote areas of the country. Two officials briefed on the matter said the chemical weapons appeared to use chlorine gas, which can cause lasting damage to human tissue, the New York Times reported at the time. Bruce's statement said the U.S. had formally determined on April 24 under the Chemical and Biological Weapons Control and Warfare Elimination Act of 1991 that the government of Sudan used chemical weapons last year, but did not specify what weapons were used, precisely when or where. 'The United States remains fully committed to hold to account those responsible for contributing to chemical weapons proliferation,' Bruce said. 'The intention here is to distract from the recent campaign in Congress against the UAE,' a Sudanese diplomatic source said. The source said the U.S. could have gone to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons to investigate the claims and neglected to do so. Sudan's government is aligned with the army. It cut diplomatic relations with the UAE this month, saying the Gulf power was aiding the RSF with supplies of advanced weaponry in the devastating conflict that broke out following disagreements over the integration of the two forces. The UAE has denied the allegations and says it supports humanitarian and peace efforts. U.S. congressional Democrats sought last Thursday to block arms sales to the United Arab Emirates over its alleged involvement in the war. Sudan said this week that the United Arab Emirates was responsible for an attack on Port Sudan this month, accusing the Gulf state for the first time of direct military intervention in the war. The UAE denied the allegations in a statement and said it condemned the attack.
