Leaked Files Detail Sudan Army's Covert Chemical Weapons Program

Brigadier General Tariq Hussein served as the architect of the project, which began as a tactical attempt to break the stalemate against the Rapid Support Forces in Khartoum. Hussein designed hybrid munitions containing roughly 33 pounds of chlorine gas, boasting in intercepted messages that the resulting explosions were intended to incinerate chemical traces. By July 2024, a successful test launch at Merowe Airport confirmed the lethality of the design, leading to the production of approximately 300 units by October.

To sustain the program, military leadership diverted chlorine supplies intended for civilian water treatment facilities, including the Al-Manara plant in Omdurman, which relied on donations from international aid groups like the ICRC and UNICEF. The operation faced internal scrutiny only after U.S. intelligence detected the activity, prompting General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan to order the destruction of evidence. Despite the military's official denials and their insistence on adherence to the Chemical Weapons Convention, the Emergency Lawyers group is now demanding an independent international investigation to examine the sites and interview victims.