NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 7— The war in Sudan is facing renewed scrutiny over allegations that the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) under General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan developed and deployed chlorine-based weapons, with newly reported intelligence documents offering the most detailed account yet of an alleged programme to manufacture chemical munitions.

📻 Breaking It Down

Investigations published on September 5 by The New York Times and The Washington Post , based on more than 150 leaked intelligence records, photographs, videos and intercepted communications, describe an alleged effort that began in 2024 as the SAF sought to gain an advantage over the Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo-led Rapid Support Forces (RSF) during the battle for Khartoum.

The documents reportedly include weapons blueprints, accounts of testing operations and communications describing efforts to conceal the programme after it came to the attention of US authorities.

They also raise questions about how chlorine may have been obtained, identifying at least two possible supply routes.

📌 What You Need to Know

The allegations are particularly significant because chlorine is widely used for legitimate civilian purposes, especially water purification, but can cause severe injury or death when deliberately released at high concentrations.

According to The New York Times , the SAF turned to chemical weapons in early 2024 as RSF fighters maintained control over large parts of Khartoum, creating a strategic stalemate for the army.

The leaked records reportedly identify Brigadier General Tariq Hussein as a central figure in the alleged programme from July 2024.

Intercepted communications cited in the investigation indicate that Hussein proposed using chlorine to provide SAF forces with a battlefield advantage.

The records reportedly include prototype designs for an explosive warhead containing about 33 pounds of chlorine gas, with production beginning in July 2024.

The documents further describe testing and efforts to develop a system capable of delivering chlorine as part of military operations.

📰 Source: Capital FM Kenya