Foreign minister says accusations 'false'
Sudanese Foreign Minister Ali Yousif Sharif dismissed "false" allegations by the US on Friday that his army possesses chemical weapons, and denied using them in its ongoing civil war.
"The Sudanese army has not committed violations or breaches in this ongoing war (against rival Rapid Support Forces (RSF)), and there is no evidence to support such claims," Sharif said during a panel discussion at the Munich Security Conference.
The top diplomat categorically rejected allegations that his military possesses or uses chemical weapons, stressing that the claims are incorrect.
The US Treasury Department imposed sanctions on Sudan's Sovereign Council leader and army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan on Jan. 16, citing alleged attacks on civilians by his forces.
The move coincided with a report by the New York Times which cited four US senior officials who accused Sudan's military of using "chemical weapons on at least two occasions against the paramilitary group (RSF) it is battling for control of the country."
Sharif also accused the RSF of committing crimes against the Sudanese people during the panel discussion, noting that the government proposed a road map for stability in Sudan.
Sudan announced a political roadmap Sunday for the post-war phase, with the goal of resuming national political dialogue, establishing transactional government and amending the Constitution to hold general elections to achieve long-term peace.
The army and the RSF have been fighting a war since April 2023 that has killed more than 20,000 people and displaced 14 million, according to the UN and local authorities. Research from US universities, however, estimates the death toll at around 130,000.
International and UN calls for an end to the war are mounting, warning of an impending humanitarian catastrophe as millions face famine and death due to food shortages. The conflict has spread to 13 of Sudan's 18 states.
