Report on the Use of Chemical Weapons by the Army
In the Areas of East Sennar and Jabal Moya
The reports of chemical weapon use have sparked widespread alarm among Sudanese civilians, especially after visible signs of such weapons emerged in several areas. This detailed account, focused on Sennar and Jabal Moya, presents direct testimonies from residents who have endured the devastating impact of these weapons on their health and daily lives. Most of the population has been forced to flee, even after the withdrawal of the Rapid Support Forces, due to mounting deaths, the spread of disease, and deep concerns over the long-term effects on children and the elderly.
First: Testimonies from the Field on the Use of Chemical Weapons
One witness, identified as (A.M.), a man in his forties from Sennar, married with two children, recounted his journeys along the Sennar–Rabak road to visit his brother on three separate occasions:
• The first on 23 February 2024
• The second during Ramadan, on 23 March 2024, while returning from his brother’s home
• The third in May 2024
He explained that he stopped at several military checkpoints along the way—Kenana, Umm Dabaqr, and Jabal Moya. All of these checkpoints were under the control of the army, with the exception of Jabal Moya, which was guarded by local residents.
(A.M.) further noted that he observed unusual changes in the soil of farmlands in the areas hit by barrel bombardments. Large yellow patches—each spanning roughly an acre—appeared in several spots. Between Jabal al-Tout and Jabal Moya alone, he counted four such patches of varying size. In addition, he documented approximately twelve other yellow patches between Jabal Moya and the entrance to the Sennar Sugar area, each covering about an acre of cultivated land.
He went on to explain that during that period, local residents began suffering from severe and persistent respiratory infections unlike any pneumonia they had previously encountered. He himself contracted a lung infection in September 2024 and, despite consulting several doctors in his current place of residence, has not fully recovered.
(A.M.) also reported the spread of diseases that were officially diagnosed as “cholera,” though he doubts this classification. He explained that, despite having been in close contact with an infected relative at the overcrowded Sennar Hospital, he never contracted the illness. A female relative in Mayirno, however, died after suffering from an unusual form of diarrhea that bore no resemblance to the typical symptoms of cholera.
Ms. (M.A.), a resident of the same area as (A.M.), confirmed that three members of her family who had previously been diagnosed with cholera are now suffering from kidney failure. She added that eye infections have become alarmingly common, causing extreme redness, constant tearing, and acute sensitivity to light, leaving patients unable to tolerate daylight exposure.
Second: The Impact of Chemical Weapons on Soil in the Region
Another resident, (A.A.), testified that his farmland in East Sennar, planted with sorghum (taibat), completely failed to yield crops. Even after 45 days, the sorghum stalks had not sprouted by so much as a centimeter. He concluded that the soil had been poisoned, leading to the total collapse of his agricultural project.
(A.M.), who is a neighbor of (A.A.), stated that between May and July 2024, there was a massive die-off of livestock in the grazing lands of the Rifaiyin area, stretching from Jabal Moya to Al-Dali and Al-Mazmum (on the borders of Sinja). Countless sheep perished in their pastures for reasons that remained unexplained.
He added that he cultivated a small plot of okra to provide for his family, but the crop completely failed due to the accumulation of salts in the soil, which prevented germination. He further recounted that each day he would find thousands of dead rodents and snakes scattered across his field. On one occasion, he filled a large 50-kilogram sugar sack entirely with dead snakes, while the number of dead rats he collected exceeded 400.
Third: The Illnesses Afflicting (A.M.) and His Family
(A.M.) testified that he has been suffering from a chronic chest infection since September 2024, a condition that forced him to relocate with his family from Sennar out of fear of exposure to the radiation and toxins left by chemical weapons. He confirmed that his children developed severe skin rashes, appearing as small water-filled blisters.
His wife (H.M.) suffered two miscarriages:
• The first in October 2024 in Sennar City
• The second in June 2025 after their relocation
He also reported congenital deformities among newborns in his extended family:
• (M.M.S.) gave birth to a child without eye openings, who died shortly after delivery
• (A.M.A.) gave birth to a child without ears
• Another relative gave birth to a baby girl with abnormal features, including a nose resembling that of a chimpanzee; she died after only 18 days
Conclusion
This report is based on direct field testimonies from the regions of Sennar and Jabal Moya, supported by photographic evidence of infants born with congenital deformities.
We pray for God’s mercy upon the people of Sudan as they endure the consequences of this “silent killer” that now stalks their lives, their land, their water, their air, and even the very structures they inhabit.
God alone is sufficient for us, and He is the best disposer of affairs.
Rihab Mubarak Sayed Ahmed
Executive Office Member – Emergency Lawyers
29 August 2025
