Human Rights Watch (HRW) recently published a detailed report addressing the influx of foreign-made weapons to warring parties in Sudan. This report, titled “Fanning the Flames,” is the culmination of a comprehensive analysis of photographs, videos, and satellite imagery. It identifies the use of armed drones, rocket launchers, and anti-tank missiles, which have reportedly been used in unlawful attacks on civilians.
The analysis points to military equipment primarily sourced from China, Russia, Iran, Serbia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), suggesting these weapons were acquired after the conflict erupted.
Despite a 2004 arms embargo imposed by the United Nations in the Darfur region, the HRW report highlights allegations that nations including Russia, China, Türkiye, and the UAE have violated these restrictions.
Allegations against the UAE emerged in June 2023, hinting that it was facilitating weapon deliveries through Chad. This was later corroborated by a January 2024 assessment by the UN Panel of Experts on Sudan. Responding to these allegations, the UAE government has firmly denied involvement, asserting that their activities are purely humanitarian, including the construction of a field hospital near the Sudanese border in Chad to support refugees.
Since the conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) began in April 2023, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) estimates that over 10 million civilians, or more than 20% of Sudan’s population, have been displaced. Various groups, including HRW and the Human Rights Council’s Independent Fact-Finding Mission for the Sudan, have accused both the RSF and SAF of targeting civilians, committing ethnically motivated attacks, and engaging in widespread sexual violence. Additionally, Doctors Without Borders has brought forth claims of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and serious human rights violations, particularly in Darfur.
HRW is calling for immediate international action based on the report’s findings, urging the United Nations to enforce and expand the current arms embargo on Darfur to cover all of Sudan. Additionally, HRW recommends imposing sanctions on individuals and entities found to be in violation of the embargo.
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