The United States will sanction Sudan after learning it used chemical weapons in its civil war.

The State Department announced that the U.S. is planning to limit U.S. exports and credit lines. The move will likely further weaken Sudan’s economy, which has shrunk by roughly half since its peak a decade ago.

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The State Department said the U.S. was committed to holding “to account those responsible for contributing to chemical weapons proliferation.”

The State Department did not offer details about where or how the weapons were used. It only said it notified Congress of a breach of the Chemical Weapons Convention, an international treaty that prohibits the production or use of chemical weapons.

Earlier this year, the New York Times reported that Sudan’s military used chemical weapons at least twice in 2024 against the Rapid Support Forces, the paramilitary group it has been fighting for control of the country. Both the Sudanese military and the RSF have been accused of war crimes.

US DETERMINES SUDANESE REBEL FORCE COMMITTED GENOCIDE

Since the civil war began in April 2023, tens of thousands of people have been killed, and 13 million have been forced from their homes. 

The sanctions are expected to take effect June 6 after a 15-day congressional review period.