A suspected chemical gas leak has unleashed a deadly health crisis in Sudan’s capital and surrounding areas, overwhelming hospitals and prompting calls for international intervention.
Thousands of people in Omdurman, part of greater Khartoum, have been exposed to toxic gas, with medical workers describing scenes of chaos and desperation. Hospitals are overwhelmed and many patients lie untreated in the streets, medical sources said Tuesday. Supplies of intravenous fluids and emergency medications have run dry, and some healthcare workers have fled in fear for their safety.
SAF junta officials have reportedly ordered medical staff not to speak publicly about the outbreak, which has caused far more cases than official figures suggest. Local health workers say more than 5,000 patients are being treated in Omdurman alone, with numbers expected to rise as conditions worsen.
Amid a growing death toll, images captured by volunteers show bodies lining the streets and sick patients crowding roads near hospitals. Residents report that the air and water are contaminated, making life in the city nearly impossible.
Experts warn the suspected mustard gas leak could have long-term effects, including genetic mutations, infertility, cancer, and environmental damage that could last for years.
The leak is believed to have originated on May 20 at the University of Khartoum’s Faculty of Education in Omdurman, where a fire reportedly broke out at a chemical weapons storage site controlled by the SAF-allied Barah ibn Malik Battalion. The blaze coincided with the announcement of U.S. sanctions against Sudan over alleged chemical weapons use.
Local sources say toxic smoke continues to rise from the site, and the armed group has barred residents from assessing the damage.
The situation has drawn calls for urgent international help. Former Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok has reached out to regional and international health organizations, warning that cholera and other diseases are also spreading in Khartoum amid the chemical contamination.
In a social media post, Hamdok urged humanitarian organizations to act swiftly to prevent further loss of life in what he described as a “completely collapsed” healthcare system.
Mustard gas, first used in World War I, has been deployed in numerous conflicts, including the Iran-Iraq War. Sudan now faces one of its worst health emergencies in decades, with the suspected use of chemical weapons creating a toxic environment that continues to claim lives.
International agencies and governments have been urged to provide medical aid and investigate the suspected chemical weapons use, as Sudanese authorities have reportedly sought to silence any mention of the crisis.