Khartoum – Sudania News
Sudania News has obtained a video that it says shows the alleged use of chlorine inside the Al-Jaili Oil Refinery, north of Khartoum, during 2024, as international scrutiny intensifies over allegations that chemical weapons were used in Sudan’s ongoing conflict. The footage surfaces as the United States prepares to implement a new package of sanctions against Sudan following accusations that the Sudanese government used chemical weapons.
According to information obtained by Sudanianews, the video was recorded by members of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) inside the refinery, one of the fiercest battlegrounds during the conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the RSF. The footage appears to show a yellow substance spreading through the air, while one individual heard in the recording describes it as a “chemical substance.” However, Sudania News has not independently verified the authenticity of the footage or the nature of the substance shown.
The newspaper noted that the location shown in the video corresponds to the same site referenced in previous international media reports, including a France 24 investigation into allegations of chemical weapons use around the Al-Jaili refinery. Earlier videos circulated online also showed barrels bearing labels and identification numbers inside the facility, prompting renewed questions about materials allegedly used during military operations.
The release of the footage comes shortly after the United States officially announced that additional sanctions against Sudan will take effect on 20 July, after concluding that the Sudanese government failed to meet the requirements of the U.S. Chemical and Biological Weapons Control and Warfare Elimination Act following allegations of chemical weapons use. The sanctions include restrictions on international financial assistance, a broad ban on U.S. exports to Sudan—with humanitarian exemptions—and the suspension of operating permits for Sudanese government-owned airlines.
The Sudanese Armed Forces have repeatedly denied using chemical weapons, rejecting the U.S. allegations as unfounded and insisting that they fully comply with international humanitarian law. The RSF, meanwhile, has previously claimed that its withdrawal from the Al-Jaili refinery was the result of chemical weapons being used by the army, an allegation that the SAF categorically denies.
The allegations remain highly disputed, and no independent international investigation has yet reached a definitive conclusion. International human rights organizations and diplomatic actors continue to call for transparent and impartial investigations to establish the facts and determine accountability for any potential violations of international law.
