Latest news with #sanctions
South China Morning Post
an hour ago
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
US imposes sanctions on Sudan over alleged use of chemical weapons
The US State Department imposed sanctions on the Sudanese government on Friday, accusing it of using chemical weapons last year in its war against rival paramilitaries. Advertisement Since April 2023, the war between the army and the Rapid Support Forces has drawn widespread accusations of war crimes, with the US determining in January that the RSF had committed genocide. The State Department in May notified Congress of its determination that 'the Government of Sudan used chemical weapons in 2024', in violation of the Chemical Weapons Convention, which Khartoum ratified in 1999. Washington did not provide details on where or when the chemical attacks occurred. Sudan's army-aligned government immediately denied the US allegations, calling them 'baseless' and 'political blackmail'. Advertisement Washington's sanctions, initially intended to go into effect on June 6, restrict US exports and financing.
Al Arabiya
2 hours ago
- Politics
- Al Arabiya
US sanctions on Sudan over alleged chemical weapons use take effect
US sanctions on Sudan's government -- imposed over what Washington says was the use by Khartoum's military of chemical weapons in the country's bloody civil war last year -- have taken effect. The sanctions -- which include restrictions on US exports, arms sales and financing to the government in Khartoum -- are to remain in place for at least one year, the US government said in a notice published Friday in the Federal Register. Assistance to Sudan will be terminated 'except for urgent humanitarian assistance and food or other agricultural commodities or products,' it said. However, certain measures will be partially waived because 'it is essential to the national security interests of the United States' to do so, it added. 'The United States calls on the Government of Sudan to cease all chemical weapons use and uphold its obligations' under the Chemical Weapons Convention, an international treaty signed by nearly all countries that prohibits their use, the State Department said last month when it announced the sanctions. The New York Times reported in January that Sudan's military had used chemical weapons on at least two occasions in remote areas its war with the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Citing anonymous US officials, the newspaper said that the weapon appeared to be chlorine gas, which can cause severe respiratory pain and death. Khartoum has denied using chemical weapons. In practical terms, the effect will be limited as both Sudan's military chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and his adversary and former deputy, RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, are already under US sanctions. A power struggle between the army and RSF erupted into full-scale war in April 2023 with devastating consequences for the already impoverished country. The conflict has killed tens of thousands of people and displaced 13 million, creating what the United Nations describes as the world's worst humanitarian crisis.
Japan Times
4 hours ago
- Politics
- Japan Times
ICC President Tomoko Akane criticizes U.S. sanctions
International Criminal Court President Tomoko Akane has criticized U.S. President Donald Trump's sanctions against The Hague-based court, saying they risk destroying the system that supports it. "The sanctions have had impacts on third countries, and they violate international law," she told Japanese media outlets online Friday. "The ICC system based on the rule of war, which the international community has developed over the years, could collapse" if the sanctions continue, she added. The ICC had launched an official investigation into alleged war crimes by U.S. service members in Afghanistan. The court also issued an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The court's actions angered the United States, which is not an ICC member. On June 5, the State Department announced economic sanctions against four judges involved in the investigation and issuing the warrants, based on an executive order enabling U.S. sanctions against ICC personnel signed by Trump in February. "ICC, which punishes individuals who lead wars, is the last bastion of international law," Akane said from The Hague. She also stressed the importance of maintaining the court's presence. Akane called on ICC member states including Japan to take a stand against the U.S. actions, urging Washington to change its decision.
Al Jazeera
5 hours ago
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
Sanctions must force Israel to end the 'death traps' tactic
Sanctions must force Israel to end the "death traps" tactic Quotable Video Duration 01 minutes 28 seconds 01:28 Video Duration 01 minutes 06 seconds 01:06 Video Duration 00 minutes 44 seconds 00:44 Video Duration 01 minutes 14 seconds 01:14 Video Duration 01 minutes 11 seconds 01:11 Video Duration 00 minutes 44 seconds 00:44 Video Duration 01 minutes 17 seconds 01:17
Asharq Al-Awsat
8 hours ago
- Politics
- Asharq Al-Awsat
US Sanctions on Sudan Over Alleged Chemical Weapons Use Take Effect
Friday marked the start of sweeping US sanctions imposed on Sudan, following accusations that the Sudanese army deployed chemical weapons during its conflict against the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The US State Department announced it had obtained credible evidence confirming the Sudanese government's use of lethal chemical and biological weapons against civilians, an act it described as a flagrant violation of international law. Under the Chemical and Biological Weapons Control and Warfare Elimination Act, the sanctions immediately suspend nearly all US assistance to Sudan, excluding only emergency humanitarian aid. The measures include an outright ban on defense-related sales and financing, the denial of access to any US government funding - including loans or credits from the Export-Import Bank - and restrictions on the export of sensitive goods and technologies tied to national security. While humanitarian aid remains exempt, each case will undergo individual review. The sanctions also carve out exceptions for exports to civilian airlines and US businesses operating in Sudan. Officials indicated the measures would remain in place for at least a year, subject to renewal. Last month, State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce revealed that Washington had concluded Sudanese forces used chemical weapons earlier in 2024 and had formally notified Congress before enacting the penalties. Sudanese authorities have so far issued no official response, though the Ministry of Information previously rejected the allegations as 'baseless political blackmail,' claiming that US interventions 'lack moral and legal foundation' and have eroded Washington's credibility in Sudan. Since April 2023, Sudan has been engulfed in a brutal war between the army, led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the RSF, commanded by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, widely known as 'Hemedti.' The fighting has killed tens of thousands and displaced over 13 million people, according to UN estimates. In recent weeks, RSF units have subjected the city of El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, to relentless artillery and drone attacks targeting army positions, resulting in heavy civilian casualties. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has appealed to Sudan's leadership to agree to a humanitarian ceasefire to allow aid deliveries to besieged areas. Meanwhile, the UN Security Council has warned that the conflict is driving Sudan toward a humanitarian catastrophe. Fighting in Darfur and Kordofan has intensified, with all sides vying to secure territorial gains. Martha Pobee, Assistant Secretary-General for African Affairs, briefed the Council, citing a surge in extrajudicial killings, sexual violence against women, child recruitment, and attacks on humanitarian workers. She urged the Council to press for an immediate humanitarian truce in El Fasher to protect civilians and facilitate aid, while calling on the UN envoy to Sudan to use diplomatic leverage to de-escalate the crisis. Diplomats from the UK, Russia, South Korea, and Greece also sounded alarms over the deteriorating humanitarian situation, noting that Sudan now faces the largest displacement crisis in Africa's recent history. Sudan's UN representative defended government efforts to secure humanitarian corridors and support voluntary returns, stating that 350,000 families have already gone back to their homes in ten states.
