Sudan denies chemical weapons use in civil war following U.S. sanctions
Sudan's army-aligned government on Friday rejected U.S. accusations of using chemical weapons in its conflict with paramilitary forces, following Washington's announcement of impending sanctions the previous day.
The reaction by the government spokesman comes after the United States said on Thursday it had determined that Sudan's military used chemical weapons in the country's bloody civil war last year and will impose sanctions, News.Az reports citing foreign media.
"These baseless accusations are nothing but political blackmail and a deliberate falsification of the facts," Information Minister Khalid al-Aiser said in a statement, responding to sanctions announced by Washington targeting US exports to Sudan and the government's access to US credits.
The US State Department said it notified Congress on Thursday of its determination on the use of chemical weapons, triggering sanctions after 15 days.
The sanctions include restrictions on US exports and financing to Sudan's government.
In practical terms, the effect will be limited as both Sudan's military chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and his adversary and former deputy, Rapid Support Forces (RSF) leader Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, are already under US sanctions.
Africa's third largest country has been ravaged by more than two years of war between their respective forces.
The Sudan conflict has killed tens of thousands of people, displaced 13 million and created what the United Nations describes as the world's worst humanitarian crisis.
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