The United States announced Thursday it will impose sanctions on Sudan after determining that the country’s military junta led by General al-Burhan used chemical weapons during its ongoing civil war, marking a significant escalation in U.S. efforts to hold SAF accountable for alleged war crimes.
The sanctions, set to take effect around June 6 following a 15-day congressional notification period, will include restrictions on U.S. exports to Sudan and limitations on access to U.S. government lines of credit, the State Department said.
The determination, made under the Chemical and Biological Weapons Control and Warfare Elimination Act of 1991, was delivered to Congress along with an addendum to the April 15, 2025, Condition 10(C) Report on Compliance with the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), finding the Government of Sudan in non-compliance with the CWC, to which it is a party.
The U.S. government has called on the Sudan’s junta controlled authorities to cease all chemical weapons use and uphold their obligations under the CWC.
The Sudanese civil war, which erupted in April 2023, has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths and displaced millions. Both General al-Burhan’s forces (SAF) and the opposing forces have been accused of committing atrocities, including war crimes and crimes against humanity.
In January 2025, the U.S. also sanctioned SAF chief General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan for the SAF’s conduct in the civil war, including the alleged use of chemical weapons.
The United States said it remains committed to holding accountable those responsible for contributing to chemical weapons proliferation and other serious violations of international law.
