Sudan rejects US sanctions, calling chemical weapons allegations ‘baseless’

Sudan rejected new US sanctions that took effect Monday over allegations that its military used chemical weapons, calling them baseless and demanding Washington to provide evidence.

The sanctions entered into force after the US determined that Sudan, where a civil war continues since 2023, failed to meet conditions under the Chemical and Biological Weapons Control and Warfare Elimination Act during a three-month compliance period.

The measures block most financial and technical assistance to Sudan from international financial institutions, except for humanitarian and food aid, impose broad restrictions on exports of US goods and technology, and subject security- and military-related exports to a strict “presumption of denial” licensing policy.

The sanctions will remain in force for at least one year unless the US administration determines that Sudan has met the legal requirements for their removal.

In a statement, the Foreign Ministry said it “categorically rejects the unilateral and illegal sanctions announced by the United States against Sudan based on false allegations that the Sudanese Armed Forces used chemical weapons.”

The ministry said Sudan remains committed to the Chemical Weapons Convention and continues to cooperate with the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).

It said the allegations had been refuted since they first surfaced, describing them as unfounded and based on anonymous sources.

Sudan also reaffirmed that it neither develops, possesses nor uses chemical weapons and continues to fulfill its obligations under the convention, noting that it currently serves on the OPCW Executive Council.

The ministry said Khartoum engaged with the US through the convention’s technical and procedural mechanisms to address the allegations.

“However, the United States not only failed to provide any credible evidence, but also bypassed the technical procedures and verification mechanisms stipulated under the Chemical Weapons Convention before imposing sanctions on Sudan,” it said.

The ministry said the sanctions were driven by “purely political motives” rather than genuine concerns over preventing the use of chemical weapons and called on Washington to provide the evidence it claims to possess.

Washington first imposed sanctions on Sudan over the allegations in May 2025, accusations Khartoum has consistently denied.