Sudan says US ignored proposal to verify chemical weapons data

Sudan Denies US Chemical Weapons Claims, Says Evidence Not Provided

Sudan has formally rejected renewed allegations by the United States that its armed forces used chemical weapons, stating that Washington has not provided any evidence to support the claims. The response, delivered by Sudan's Chargé d'Affaires at the UN, Minister Plenipotentiary Ammar Mohamed Mahmoud, came during a session of the UN Security Council.

According to a statement from the Sudanese News Agency (SUNA) carried by AllAfrica, Mahmoud said: "We would like to point out that the US government has failed to provide any evidence to support this claim, either to our Embassy in Washington or to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in The Hague, where both Sudan and the United States are members of its Executive Council."

The US allegations, first reported by The New York Times in January 2025 citing sources, claimed that the Sudanese army had used chemical weapons at least twice against fighters of the Rapid Support Forces rebel movement. As reported by TASS — English, the United States subsequently imposed two rounds of sanctions on Sudan: the first in June 2025 and a second on July 20, 2026. Khartoum has described these restrictions as "unilateral, illegal, and politically motivated."

Coverage Comparison

Both AllAfrica and TASS — English report on Sudan's denial, but with different emphases. AllAfrica's coverage, drawing on the SUNA statement, highlights Sudan's broader critique of the US record on such allegations. The Sudanese diplomat noted that "the United States has a record of making similar claims," referencing the 1998 destruction of a pharmaceutical factory in Sudan on grounds that it was producing chemical weapons—a claim later proven false—and the inaccurate pre-Iraq War assertion about weapons of mass destruction by a former US Secretary of State. AllAfrica quotes Mahmoud as urging the Security Council to address such claims "with the utmost responsibility and objectivity," guided by facts rather than "allegations lacking evidence and substantiation."

TASS — English, citing the Sudanese Foreign Ministry, emphasizes that the United States has not responded to Sudan's repeated requests for expert investigators to visit the country. "The Sudanese government has repeatedly invited US experts to Sudan to conduct on-site investigations and verify the allegations," the ministry stated, according to the Sudanese News Agency. "However, the United States has declined to respond to these invitations." TASS also reports that during consultations lasting over a year, the US provided no physical or technical evidence of chemical weapons use.

Key Claims

• Sudan rejected US claims of using chemical weapons. The US government failed to provide any evidence to support this claim, either to Sudan's Embassy in Washington or to the OPCW, as reported by both AllAfrica and TASS — English.
• The US imposed sanctions on Sudan in June 2025 and July 2026, according to TASS — English.
• The New York Times reported on the Sudanese army's alleged use of chemical weapons, according to TASS — English.
• Sudan invited US experts to investigate allegations of chemical weapons use, as reported by TASS — English.
• The US did not respond to Sudan's requests for experts to investigate allegations, according to TASS — English.
• Sudan referenced past false US claims about chemical weapons, including the 1998 destruction of a pharmaceutical factory in Sudan, as reported by AllAfrica.
• Sudan urged the Security Council to address claims with the utmost responsibility and objectivity, guided by facts and reliable information rather than allegations lacking evidence, as quoted by AllAfrica.