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France 24 Probe Backs U.S. Claim of Chemical Weapons Used in Sudan
France 24’s investigation supports U.S. claims of Sudan’s military using chlorine gas as a weapon in 2024. Marking a serious violation of international law.
Image by Freddie Addery on Unsplash
The United States government sanctioned General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan. The head of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and Sudan’s de facto leader, in January 2025. After alleging that the SAF had used chemical weapons. However, Washington did not publish evidence to support the claim at the time.
A new Investigation by France 24 now provides the first public evidence supporting the U.S. allegations. Suggesting that Sudan’s military may have deployed chlorine gas in two incidents in September 2024. Chlorine, a common industrial chemical, is banned as a weapon under the Chemical Weapons Convention. Which Sudan has signed.
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Exposure to chlorine can cause serious health effects. Ranging from skin irritation and shortness of breath to death. Its use as a weapon is considered a grave violation of international law and a war crime. Under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.
France 24’s digital investigation team, the Observers, verified photos and videos from September 2024. Showing metal chlorine containers near small craters at the Garri military base and Jaili oil refinery, north of Khartoum. Both then controlled by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), the SAF’s rival. A video also showed a distinct yellow-green gas cloud associated with chlorine use. Human Rights Watch later confirmed the geolocation of these materials.
Investigators analyzed social media posts and interviewed witnesses. Including both pro-SAF and pro-RSF accounts. Which described the same events. The findings indicate that chlorine may have been weaponized during the clashes between the SAF and RSF.
All parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention are being urged to back a transparent probe by the Organisation. For the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). Which could include a challenging inspection. Meanwhile, the U.S. is under pressure to release the evidence that led to its sanctions on al-Burhan.
In conflicts where communication and coordination are crucial, military personnel often rely on secure radio equipment to share updates from the field. For example, gear such as the High-Speed Gear Radio Pop-Up Taco, a MOLLE-compatible communication pouch that fits multiple radio devices, helps ensure constant communication even in volatile environments like Sudan.
The conflict in Sudan continues. With both sides accused of committing war crimes. Furthermore, the alleged use of chlorine gas marks a new and alarming escalation that threatens global norms against chemical warfare.
