Sudan Denies Chemical or Radioactive Contamination in Khartoum

Sudanese military collect ammunition seized in Khartoum state, AFP photo

September 1, 2025 (KHARTOUM) – Sudan’s government said on Monday an investigation found no evidence of chemical or radioactive contamination in Khartoum, blaming a rise in respiratory illness on fires and carbon emissions after months of widespread allegations.

The investigation was launched after public concern grew over numerous diseases spreading amid a healthcare system devastated by conflict. The fears were bolstered by U.S. accusations in 2024 that the Sudanese army had used chemical weapons against the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which led to American sanctions.

A Ministry of Health report stated that field measurements and health surveillance confirmed no evidence of contamination and no threats that would render the capital uninhabitable.

“The general situation does not pose a threat to public health,” the report said, adding that scientific monitoring had been underway since April.

The ministry said investigators conducted radiation measurements with IAEA-certified devices and used detectors approved by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) at several sites, including hospitals and laboratories.

The results showed no increase in radiation levels, no chemical residues, and no signs of toxic gases, according to the report.

Furthermore, disease surveillance systems recorded no mass deaths or symptoms of chemical poisoning, and forensic reports did not find deaths linked to such substances, the ministry said. It added that forensic examiners saw none of the typical signs of chemical weapons exposure, such as severe cyanosis or sudden mass death.

The government attributed most citizens’ health complaints, including diarrhoea, fever, and an increase in deaths, to the collapse of health services during the war and the spread of diseases like cholera, malaria, and dengue fever.

The report comes as thousands of displaced families return to Khartoum, despite poor services, widespread disease, and lingering insecurity in some areas.