The New York Times and The Washington Post Reveal the Documents and Trace the Path of Chemical Weapons, from Production to Attempts to Erase the Evidence
Since new evidence emerged concerning the Sudanese army’s chemical weapons program, calls for an international investigation and the establishment of responsibility have intensified, alongside efforts by Sudanese civil forces and human rights and international organizations, as well as official positions within the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.
These developments followed investigations published by the American newspapers The New York Times and The Washington Post, based on a wide range of documents, photographs, videos and messages pointing to a program to develop, produce, store and test chlorine-based munitions in Sudan during 2024.
Sudanese Calls to Put the File Before an International Investigation
The Peace Government affiliated with the “Ta’assis” alliance has raised the level of its demands, calling for a serious international response to the allegations that the Sudanese army used chemical weapons.
Khaled Denaa, the Minister of Information and spokesperson for the “Ta’assis” government, said the issue was no longer limited to political disputes, particularly following the emergence of documents referring to a secret program for producing and using chemical substances during the war.
Meanwhile, Alaa al-Din Naqd, the Health Minister in the “Ta’assis” government, said the government possessed records, medical reports and complaints concerning incidents linked to the use of chemical substances. He noted that information on the matter had been sent to the World Health Organization, the International Committee of the Red Cross and UNICEF.
He confirmed that the government was prepared to submit documents and evidence to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, calling for technical teams to be sent to Sudan to independently verify the sites, facts and substances at issue.
“Ta’assis” believes that an independent international technical investigation is the means of moving from allegations and reports to establishing what actually happened and identifying those responsible.
“Somoud” Knocks on The Hague’s Doors to Advance the Investigation
The Democratic Civil Alliance of Revolutionary Forces, “Somoud,” became involved in the chemical weapons file at an early stage, calling on the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons to investigate reports concerning their use during the war.
In November 2025, the alliance called for an urgent investigation, considering the use of chemical weapons a violation of international humanitarian law and the Chemical Weapons Convention.
With the emergence of new evidence, “Somoud” renewed its call for an independent and transparent technical investigation, stressing the need to allow experts access to sites, documents and witnesses in order to establish responsibility.
The alliance’s spokesperson, Dr. Bakri al-Jak, said a “Somoud” delegation had visited The Hague and met with the Executive Director of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, calling for the case to be advanced within the organization.
He said the alliance intended to continue raising the issue before international and judicial institutions, emphasizing that the concerns were not limited to the present but also involved the future use of such weapons and their consequences for civilians and the environment.
Al-Jak explained that moving toward a formal investigation within the organization required an initiative by a state party to the Convention, noting that the United States is a member of the Executive Council and could take action in that direction.
Direct Accusations Against the Military Leadership
In an escalation of his position, “Somoud” leader and deputy chairman of the Sudanese Congress Party Khaled Omar Youssef called for an immediate investigation and accountability for those responsible, as well as an expansion of the arms embargo imposed by the UN Security Council to cover all of Sudan.
Youssef accused the authorities led by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan of turning substances originally used to combat disease and purify water into lethal means, arguing that the investigations pointed not to isolated and limited violations but to involvement at command levels.
He said the investigations by The New York Times and The Washington Post had placed Abdel Fattah al-Burhan at the center of efforts to develop and use chemical weapons, including against civilians.
Youssef described the use of prohibited weapons as an extremely serious violation of international law, calling on the international community to treat the situation in Sudan as an issue requiring urgent action.
Calls for an International Mission and Field-Based Evidence Collection
The Darfur Initiative for Justice and Peace, for its part, called for an urgent international investigation into allegations that the Sudanese army developed and used chemical weapons during the war.
It called for an international mission to be sent to the field to verify the facts, include the issue in investigations into crimes committed in Sudan, and pursue anyone proven responsible for producing or using prohibited weapons.
The initiative expressed concern over reports of the development of weapons based on chlorine gas, stressing that confirmation of their use would constitute a serious violation of international law and the Chemical Weapons Convention.
It also called on the UN Security Council and the International Criminal Court to include the use of chemical weapons and toxic substances in their investigations and to identify those responsible for issuing orders, planning and carrying out the operations.
The initiative urged the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons to send a specialized team to collect evidence, environmental and medical samples, and verify the allegations.
The demands also included halting any production, storage or use of chemical weapons, disclosing stockpiles and destroying them under international supervision, as well as ensuring that medical and humanitarian teams could reach areas suspected of having been exposed to toxic substances.
The initiative further stressed the importance of documenting testimonies, protecting witnesses and victims, preserving evidence, and preventing civilians from entering contaminated sites until they had been examined and secured.
Former Expert: Evidence Does Not Settle the Allegations but Is Concerning
Gareth Williams, a former official at the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and currently a senior fellow at the Royal United Services Institute, said the available evidence raised serious concerns.
He explained that visual evidence alone was insufficient to conclusively establish the storage of chlorine munitions, but that it was highly consistent with the existence of a chemical weapons program.
“Emergency Lawyers”: An Independent and Urgent Technical Investigation Is Needed
The Sudanese group “Emergency Lawyers” called for an international, technical and independent investigation into reports accusing the Sudanese Armed Forces of using chlorine gas, particularly around the Al-Jili refinery north of Khartoum in September 2024.
The group said the published reports were based on visual material, open-source information, testimonies and expert analyses, some of which concluded that the scenes and traces observed were consistent with the aerial dropping of containers containing chlorine gas.
The group considers that the accumulation of this evidence, together with the U.S. conclusion in May 2025 that chemical weapons had been used in Sudan, makes an independent investigation urgent.
It called for international experts to be granted safe and unconditional access to the sites in question, to examine the containers, munitions, aircraft and delivery systems, and to hear from witnesses and victims.
It also called on the Sudanese army to cooperate with the investigation and disclose records relating to the importation, possession, storage, transportation and use of chlorine and related chemical substances, as well as data concerning the air units that participated in the operations.
The group stressed the need to protect physical and digital evidence and documents from tampering or destruction, provide protection to witnesses and victims, and ensure long-term medical care for people suspected of having been exposed to toxic substances.
It emphasized that the use of chlorine for industrial purposes or water purification is legitimate, but that using it with the intent to kill, injure or incapacitate could constitute the use of a prohibited chemical weapon, noting that Sudan is a party to the Chemical Weapons Convention.
It called for the findings of any investigation to identify the substance used, the locations and dates of its use, the means by which it was delivered, and those responsible for issuing orders, carrying out the operations or concealing evidence, if established.
Washington Raises the Pressure Through Sanctions
The United States had taken official measures before the new evidence was published, after concluding that the Sudanese army had used chemical weapons during 2024.
On May 22, 2025, Washington imposed sanctions on the Sudanese government, including restrictions on U.S. exports and access to lines of credit.
In June 2026, the United States announced a second package of sanctions under the Chemical and Biological Weapons Control and Warfare Elimination Act.
Washington stated that Sudan remained in a state of non-compliance with the Chemical Weapons Convention, demanding that it provide a complete and accurate declaration of its chemical program and allow the organization’s Technical Secretariat unobstructed and transparent access to sites.
It stressed that Sudan’s national technical committee could not replace independent international verification and that compliance with the Convention was not optional.
The United States also imposed sanctions in June 2026 on eight individuals and entities that it said were providing the Sudanese army with weapons, explosives and foreign fighters.
Human Rights Watch Pushes for “Challenge Inspection”
In October 2025, Human Rights Watch called on states parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention to support a transparent investigation led by the organization’s Technical Secretariat, including activation of the “challenge inspection” mechanism.
The organization said it had independently identified the locations shown in photographs and videos linked to incidents around the Al-Jili military base and Al-Jili refinery north of Khartoum, noting the appearance of metal containers used to store chlorine and a yellowish-green cloud.
It also called on the United States to release the evidence on which it had relied when imposing sanctions on Abdel Fattah al-Burhan.
The “challenge inspection” mechanism allows any state party to request an on-site inspection in another state party in order to clarify concerns regarding possible non-compliance with the Convention.
Sanctions Conditional on Establishing Responsibility
In July 2026, the International Human Rights Alliance called for an independent international investigation into allegations of the use of chemical weapons in Sudan.
On July 28, the alliance renewed its call for urgent, impartial, independent and transparent investigations, emphasizing the need to hold those responsible accountable if the investigations established their responsibility.
It also supported targeted sanctions against those involved, provided that they were based on the findings of independent and credible investigations.
In August, the alliance participated in a civil society event in Geneva, which resulted in a call for an independent investigation involving the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, referral of the situation to the International Criminal Court, and denial of immunity to those involved.
The alliance stressed that protecting civilians and upholding the absolute prohibition of chemical weapons must be a central element of any international action concerning Sudan.
Human Rights Efforts Expand Beyond Sudan
The Sudanese Human Rights Coalition, for its part, became active from the outset of the allegations. In January 2025, it condemned the use of chemical weapons and called on the Sudanese authorities to halt their use and fulfill their international obligations.
It called on the United Nations and the African Union to conduct an independent and comprehensive investigation, later stating that it had sent formal communications to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the International Criminal Court.
Following the publication of the new evidence, the coalition considered the released material to have added independent elements to the body of allegations, renewing its call for international action.
It also referred to Article 15 of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, which allows the Prosecutor to receive information from various sources, including civil society organizations.
African Coalitions Link the Investigation to Political Justice
In August 2026, the “Sudan Coalition,” an alliance of African human rights organizations, called for an independent and transparent international investigation into the Sudanese army’s use of chemical weapons.
It called on the Sudanese authorities to cooperate with the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and allow technical teams access to the sites, in addition to opening the way for international fact-finding missions.
It stressed that any political settlement to the conflict should not be limited to ending the fighting, but should also include accountability for war crimes and crimes against humanity, respect for international humanitarian law and a transition to civilian rule.
Women at the Forefront of Calls to Document the Humanitarian Impact
The organization “Sudanese Women for Peace” called in July 2026 for an independent investigation into the use of chemical weapons and their humanitarian consequences, with particular attention to women and girls.
It said the potential harm was not limited to direct health effects, but could also extend to social and economic conditions, care, displacement, access to health services and reproductive health.
The organization called on the United Nations, the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and human rights mechanisms to support independent and transparent investigations and provide protection, medical care and justice for survivors, while ensuring that women’s voices were represented in justice and peace processes.
Calls to Refer the Case to the International Criminal Court
In August 2026, the International Human Rights Alliance returned to the judicial track by jointly calling for the creation of an independent mechanism to investigate the chemical weapons file, with the participation of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.
It also called for the situation in Sudan to be referred to the International Criminal Court and for those involved to receive no immunity, in an approach combining technical verification with legal accountability.
“Qimam” Moves Toward Escalation Before International Courts
Sudan’s “United Civil Forces,” known as “Qimam,” announced its intention to escalate the chemical weapons issue at the international level.
Its spokesperson, Othman Abdelrahman Suleiman, said the civil forces would work to document the evidence and take the case to international institutions before formally filing a case against the army before international courts.
They also called for sanctions against anyone proven responsible for planning, carrying out or concealing the use of chemical weapons, up to the highest levels of leadership.
They urged the United Nations, the Security Council, the African Union, IGAD, the International Criminal Court and human rights organizations to take urgent steps and establish an independent international commission to investigate the use of chemical weapons in North Kordofan.
Civil Forces: No Settlement Without Accountability
Sudan’s “Forces of the Declaration of Principles” supported documenting violations through independent international mechanisms and called for investigations into all crimes, including the use of chemical weapons, as well as accountability for those responsible.
They stressed that any future political process should be led by Sudanese actors, with democratic civil forces given a central role, and that the parties to the war should not be allowed to impose their agendas or control the outcome of the political process.
Official Action Within the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons
Alongside civil initiatives, the Sudan file had already entered the official process within the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.
During the organization’s 109th Executive Council session in July 2025, the Council received requests for clarification from Sudan under Article IX of the Convention. The requests were submitted by Mauritania, Chad and Benin, while Guinea-Bissau supported the requests from Chad and Mauritania.
The requests were referred to Sudan, which subsequently provided explanations in accordance with established procedures.
The Council meetings included interventions by Mauritania, Chad and Benin, as well as positions expressed by the United States, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, Japan, France, China, Chile, South Africa and Russia.
A request for clarification is one of the formal procedures provided for under the Chemical Weapons Convention to verify questions of non-compliance.
London Applies Pressure Through International Channels
In July 2025, Britain expressed concern during a meeting of the Executive Council of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons regarding the U.S. assessment that chemical weapons had been used in Sudan.
The British government called on Sudan to fulfill its commitment to conduct a comprehensive investigation, stressing the importance of addressing the issue through the mechanisms provided for under the Convention.
The British position came as part of broader discussions concerning Sudan’s compliance with the Convention and the strengthening of international verification mechanisms.
How Can the Process Move From Allegations to Inspection?
Article IX of the Chemical Weapons Convention gives any state party the right to request an on-site inspection on the territory of another state party to clarify issues relating to possible non-compliance.
If the request meets the Convention’s requirements, preparations for the inspection begin. However, the Executive Council may block the request if it considers it frivolous, abusive or manifestly beyond the scope of the Convention, by a three-quarters majority of its members.
Article X provides another avenue for obtaining assistance and investigating the use of chemical weapons, allowing teams from the organization to access affected areas, hospitals and refugee camps, collect chemical, environmental and biological samples, and interview victims, witnesses and medical personnel.
However, moving from reports and demands to a comprehensive technical investigation remains dependent on action by a state party within the organization and the initiation of the necessary diplomatic process.
New Documents Outline the Features of a Chemical Weapons Program
The latest wave of demands is based on investigations by The New York Times and The Washington Post, which uncovered approximately 150 documents, photographs, videos and voice messages, in addition to thousands of text messages.
The material points to a chemical weapons program that lasted nearly six months during 2024 and includes information about the production and testing of chlorine-based munitions, along with diagrams, photographs, videos and correspondence between officers.
Other material indicates that approximately 300 munitions had been stored by October 2024.
According to The New York Times, messages linked to Abdel Fattah al-Burhan contain indications of direct oversight of efforts to develop chemical weapons, as well as information concerning attempts to erase traces of the program after it was discovered by the United States.
Experts who reviewed the material said the photographs indicated the Sudanese army’s involvement in developing chemical weapons. The decisive next step now lies with the international community: moving from evidence and reports to an independent technical investigation capable of establishing the facts and determining responsibility.
