Rights body renews call for arms embargo over Sudan conflict

September 9, 2024 (NEW YORK) – A human rights groups has renewed calls for expansion of arms embargo in Sudan, amid concerns that the warring parties in its conflict have acquired foreign-made weapons used in the war.

Human Rights Watch (HRW), on Monday, said the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) are responsible for widespread war crimes and other atrocities in Sudan’s current conflict.

The rights group called on the United Nations Security Council to renew and expand the arms embargo and its restrictions on the Darfur region to all of Sudan and hold violators to account.

“Sudan’s conflict is one of the world’s worst humanitarian and human rights crises, with warring parties committing atrocities with impunity, and newly acquired weapons and equipment are likely to be used in the commission of further crimes,” said Jean-Baptiste Gallopin, an arms researcher at HRW

“Fighters from both the SAF and the RSF have since mid-2023 posted photos and videos of new foreign-made kit, such as armed drones and anti-tank guided missiles,” he added.

Videos and photos analysed by HRW reportedly showed the most of the weapons being used in Sudan’s current conflict were produced by companies in China, Iran, Russia, United Arab Emirates ( UAE) and Serbia.

Weapons identified, the rights group said, included armed drones, drone jammers, anti-tank guided missiles, truck-mounted multi-barrel rocket launchers, and mortar munitions.

It failed to establish how the warring parties acquired the new equipment, majority of them made in 2023.S

Since the conflict between the SAF and the RSF began in Sudan in April 2023, countless civilians have reportedly been killed, millions internally displaced and millions are facing famine.

HRW said SAF and the RSF may use such weapons and equipment to continue to commit war crimes and other serious human rights violations not just in Darfur, but across Sudan.

The United Nations Security Council is expected to decide on September 11 whether to renew the Sudan sanctions regime, which prohibits the transfer of military equipment to the Darfur region.

A countrywide arms embargo would contribute to addressing these issues by facilitating the monitoring of transfers to Darfur and preventing the legal acquisition of weapons for use in other parts of Sudan, HRW argued.

Meanwhile the Sudanese government has opposed an expansion of the arms embargo and in recent months lobbied members of the Security Council to end the sanctions regime and remove the Darfur embargo altogether.

In recent weeks, discussion around renewal at the Security Council has shifted toward a renewal of the Darfur embargo and associated sanctions regime, which means, if adopted, the status quo would continue.

(ST)