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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.
Al-Ahram Weekly
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Sudan denies using chemical weapons after US imposes sanctions - War in Sudan
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 claimed on Thursday 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. '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, accusing Washington of "complicity" with the RSF. 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. *This story was edited by Ahram Online. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
The Citizen
23-05-2025
- Politics
- The Citizen
Sudan denies using chemical weapons after US imposes sanctions
Sudan accuses the US of bias and UAE of arming militias after new sanctions over alleged chemical attacks in its civil conflict. A Sudanese army soldier waves as he walks past a war-damaged building in Salha, south of Omdurman, two days after the Sudanese army recaptured it from the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), on May 22, 2025. The Sudanese army said on May 20 that it had dislodged rival paramilitaries from their last positions in Omdurman, part of the Sudanese capital, securing all of Khartoum state nearly two months after recapturing the capital's centre. (Photo by Ebrahim Hamid / AFP) 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. ALSO READ: ActionSA files application for IPID's 'top secret' Phala Phala report 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. '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'. ALSO READ: Sudan marks two years of war with no end in sight 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. NOW READ: Top secret: Phala Phala Ipid report won't see light of day – By: © Agence France-Presse
Yahoo
22-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Sudan army recaptures presidential palace from paramilitaries
Sudan's army recaptured the presidential palace in Khartoum from the Rapid Support Forces on Friday, dealing a major blow to the paramilitaries who responded with drone attacks that killed a news crew and soldiers. The victory, one of the military's most significant in its two-year war with the RSF, lends the army an advantage but not total control of the capital, while the rest of the country remains divided. Inside the palace along the Blue Nile River, state television broadcast scenes of fighters celebrating, before three crew members and a number of army personnel were killed in a drone strike, an army source reported. They were "covering the army retaking the Republican Palace" when an RSF one-way attack drone struck the complex, the source told AFP on condition of anonymity. Information Minister Khalid al-Aiser said state television's producer, video journalist and driver were among the dead. In a statement shared to Telegram, the RSF said it had launched a "lightning operation" around the palace which "killed more than 89 enemy personnel and destroyed various military vehicles". "The battle for the Republican Palace is not over yet," the RSF vowed, adding that their fighters remained nearby. Witnesses reported multiple drones targeting the area. In video footage broadcast by state television, young men in yellow bandanas -- volunteer fighters who had taken up arms alongside the army -- waved flags and ululated behind shattered windows. The battle for power between Sudan's rival generals began on April 15, 2023, when much of Khartoum quickly fell to the RSF. - 'Massive blow' - In the nearly two years since, the war has killed tens of thousands of people and uprooted more than 12 million, including more than half of the estimated pre-war population of greater Khartoum. It has triggered what UN chief Antonio Guterres called an "unprecedented humanitarian crisis on the African continent". After months of defeats for the army, the tide of the war seemed to turn late last year when the army launched a counteroffensive through central Sudan. The recapture of the presidential palace, an emblem of Sudanese sovereignty, "is a massive blow for the RSF, in addition to a huge symbolic victory for the armed forces," said International Crisis Group Horn of Africa director Alan Boswell. "This is a huge turning point in the war. It'll be very hard for the RSF to claim these are tactical withdrawals or to put a brave face on this defeat." If the army captures Khartoum, there will be "a fork in the road... either more war or a pivot to try and end this through peace talks," Boswell said. Army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, however, vowed there would be "no negotiations until these people are no more," referring to the RSF. "So long as they carry arms, occupying people's homes ... striking fear into people every day, we have no words or peace for them," he said at a funeral in the eastern town of Gedaref for two military personnel killed in Friday's drone strike. - Sanctions - The United States has sanctioned Burhan for reasons including the army's "lethal attacks on civilians." Washington also sanctioned RSF leader Mohammad Hamdan Daglo and said the paramilitaries had "committed genocide." A retired Sudanese general said the RSF's withdrawal from greater Khartoum was "only a matter of time" after the army "broke their power and destroyed their equipment". But RSF fighters are still scattered around the city centre, hiding in nearby buildings and stationed in part of the bombed out airport, military sources said. The paramilitaries have kept up their shelling of army-held neighbourhoods from their remaining positions in the city's western and southern outskirts, the sources added. "With the army entering the Republican Palace, which means control of central Khartoum, the militia has lost its elite forces," a military expert said, requesting anonymity for his safety. The army announced an operation to "cleanse" the city centre of holdout RSF fighters. Army spokesman Nabil Abdallah said troops would "continue to progress on all fronts until victory is complete and every inch of our country is purged of the militia and its supporters". But even if the military seizes Khartoum, Africa's third largest country, with an estimated population of 50 million people, remains divided. The RSF controls much of the country's south and nearly all of the vast western region of Darfur -- crucial to their fighter base and resupply lines. On Thursday the paramilitaries claimed control of al-Malha, in Darfur near the Libyan border. ab-bha/it
