The Sudanese government used chemical weapons on civilians in a region of Darfur between January and September 9, an Amnesty International (AI) [advocacy website] investigative report claimed [press release] Thursday. During this time, the Sudanese army engaged in a military offensive targeting the Sudan Liberation Army/Abdul Wahid. AI believes that during this time 30 attacks occurred and more than 200 civilians died, including young children. The evidence [materials] includes hundreds of interviews with survivors and satellite imagery. AI Director of Crisis Research, Tirana Hassan, said the military’s use of chemical weapons is a war crime. She further stated: “Chemical weapons have been banned for decades in recognition of the fact that the level of suffering they cause can never be justified. The fact that Sudan’s government is now repeatedly using them against their own people simply cannot be ignored and demands action.” AI is urging the UN Security Council [official website] to investigate these attacks, prosecute anyone responsible and ensure the implementation of the current arms embargo. They also hope the UN Security Council can pressure Sudan to allow humanitarian access to the region.

The human rights situation throughout Sudan has drawn global condemnation. In March Human Rights Watch reported that female rights activists [JURIST report] in Sudan are facing harassment, violence and other rights abuses. Earlier that month South Africa’s Supreme Court of Appeal upheld a lower court’s ruling that the state broke the law by not detaining [JURIST report] Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir despite an International Criminal Court order to do so. In February a UN human rights expert called for an end [JURIST report] to conflict in Darfur between the Sudanese government and the Sudan Liberation Army/Abdul Wahid, which may have led to human rights abuses and violations of international law.