US Sanctions Leader of Sudanese Armed Forces

 The U.S. Department of the Treasury posted on 16 January 2025 a press release titled "Treasury Sanctions Leader of Sudanese Armed Forces and Weapons Supplier."

The US placed sanctions on Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, leader of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), and the Defense Industries System, a procurement arm of the SAF.  The sanctions resulted from "egregious war tactics" that constituted war crimes.  

The New York Times published on 16 January 2025 an article titled "Sudan's Military Has Used Chemical Weapons Twice, U.S. Officials Say" by Declan Walsh and Julian E. Barnes.

Although not mentioned in the Treasury Department announcement, this report quotes US officials as stating that the SAF also used chemical weapons in Sudan.

Sudan's Alleged Use of Chemical Weapons

The Institute for Security Studies published on 11 October 2016 a commentary titled "Think Again: Sudan Is the Exception that Proves the Rule on Chemical Warfare in Africa" by Simon Allison.

The commentary discusses the charge put forward by Amnesty International that Sudan has used chemical weapons in Darfur. It notes the Sudan government's denial of the charge but leaves the impression that chemical weapons were likely used.

Amnesty International Charges Sudan Uses Chemical Weapons in Darfur

Amnesty International issued a statement on 29 September 2016 titled "Sudan: Credible Evidence of the Use of Chemical Weapons to Kill and Maim Hundreds of Civilians Including Children in Darfur Revealed."

Amnesty's investigation that used satellite imagery and more than 200 interviews with survivors concluded that at least 30 likely chemical attacks have taken place in the Jebel Marra area of Darfur since January 2016. Sudan military forces launched in January 2016 a campaign in the Jebel Marra area against the Sudan Liberation Army/Abdul Wahid forces who they accuse of ambushing military convoys and attacking civilians.