Sudanese rights group files ICC complaint against army chiefs over alleged chemical attacks
The Sudanese Alliance for Rights (SAR) said Thursday it has filed a complaint with the International Criminal Court against four senior figures in the Port Sudan–based authorities—including council chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan—alleging the use of chemical weapons and other grave violations against civilians. SAR also urged the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons to open parallel investigations.
The alliance, working with a team of international lawyers, said the complaint targets al-Burhan, Yasser al-Atta, Shams al-Din Kabbashi, and Maj. Gen. al-Tahir Mohamed. It calls for a comprehensive investigation and accountability for those responsible for these crimes.
In parallel with the ICC complaint, the alliance submitted a formal petition to the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights regarding the violations and the use of chemical weapons. It also sent a letter to the head of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) requesting an urgent investigation and the suspension of the Port Sudan authorities’ membership in the organization, warning that continued international silence “encourages impunity.”
This step comes amid repeated international warnings and reports about the Sudanese army’s involvement in widespread violations, including the use of chemical weapons against civilians in conflict areas. The complaint was filed on September 25, 2025, by SAR and the international lawyers participating in the alliance.
Rights Drive Threatens Sudanese Leaders With International Isolation After Chemical Weapons Allegations
Senior leaders of the authorities in Port Sudan, including Sovereign Council chair Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, face a new crisis after broad legal action led by the Sudanese Alliance for Rights (SAR) that could open the door to unprecedented international isolation.
The legal move goes beyond an ICC filing, encompassing a formal complaint to the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights and an urgent letter to the OPCW calling for an immediate investigation and the suspension of Sudan’s membership. Should these international and regional bodies act on the requests, the military-led authority that has governed since the October 2023 coup would come under immense pressure, potentially facing near-total isolation within the international system.
These developments follow mounting allegations of chemical weapons use in the Sudan conflict and are reinforced by what the U.S. State Department announced in May, when it said the Sudanese army had used such weapons at least twice—adding weight to the latest rights push and placing the military leadership under intensified international scrutiny.
Legal Action Against the Army-Led Sudanese Government Amid Earlier U.S. Confirmation of Chemical Weapons Use
The Sudan violations dossier appears headed for unprecedented international judicial escalation after the Sudanese Alliance for Rights announced it had filed an ICC complaint against four senior leaders of the army-led authorities, including Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, over charges related to the use of chemical weapons and large-scale crimes against civilians. SAR and the international lawyers formally submitted the complaint.
This move coincides with a U.S. State Department statement in May affirming that the Sudanese army used chemical weapons in at least two attacks during the ongoing conflict, heightening international concern and the push to hold those responsible to account.
The complaint targets army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, his aide Yasser al-Atta, Shams al-Din Kabbashi, and Maj. Gen. al-Tahir Mohamed. It is accompanied by a petition to the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights and a letter to the OPCW calling for an independent investigation and the suspension of the Port Sudan authorities’ membership.
This legal track recalls the Darfur precedent of the early 2000s, when allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity led to international arrest warrants for former president Omar al-Bashir and several of his commanders. The new file is even more sensitive, as it involves the use of internationally banned weapons, potentially opening the door to greater pressure on Port Sudan and testing the international community’s resolve to prevent impunity.
Rights Group Sues Sudanese Leaders at the ICC Over “Chemical Crimes”
The Sudanese Alliance for Rights announced that it has filed a complaint with the International Criminal Court against four senior figures of the Port Sudan authorities, including Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, on charges related to the use of chemical weapons against civilians.
The move follows Washington’s confirmation in May that the Sudanese army used chemical weapons at least twice. The organization also filed parallel petitions with the African Commission and the OPCW.
The army has ruled the country under Abdel Fattah al-Burhan since the coup he led that overthrew the civilian government in 2023.