Khartoum: Sudan’s army-backed government has officially denied allegations of chemical weapons use, two months after the United States imposed sanctions over claims of chemical attacks. The country’s health ministry released a report this week stating that no evidence of chemical or radioactive contamination was found in Khartoum state.
“Based on available evidence and data from field measurements, health surveillance systems, and official medical reports… there is no evidence of chemical or radioactive contamination in Khartoum state,” the report said. It was compiled from extensive field tests and forensic reviews conducted since April, following the army’s reassertion of control over the capital from the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
In June, Washington targeted Sudan with sanctions, accusing the army of deploying chemical weapons during last year’s conflict against the RSF. The US did not provide precise details on the timing or location of the alleged attacks, a point that Khartoum has consistently emphasized in its denials. Sudan’s officials have labeled the sanctions as “baseless” and described the allegations as “political blackmail.”
The health ministry noted that there were no reports of mass fatalities or symptoms consistent with chemical exposure. Forensic teams reportedly found no deaths typical of chemical weapon use, reinforcing Sudan’s position that the claims lack factual basis.
The conflict between Sudan’s regular army and the RSF, which erupted in April 2023, has already inflicted a heavy toll on the population, killing tens of thousands and displacing over 14 million people, according to UN estimates. The RSF itself remains under US sanctions; in January, the State Department determined that the group had “committed genocide” against certain ethnic groups in Darfur and sanctioned its leader, Mohammad Hamdan Daglo.
Sudan’s latest report underscores the army-backed government’s insistence that it seeks to clear its name internationally while continuing to navigate the humanitarian and political fallout from the ongoing civil war. The move also signals Khartoum’s intent to resist external pressures and assert its narrative amid rising global scrutiny over the conflict.