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Amnesty International reported on Thursday that weapons manufactured in China and provided by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are being used by Sudan’s paramilitary forces, violating a United Nations arms embargo. According to the rights group, sophisticated Chinese weaponry, including GB50A guided bombs and 155mm AH-4 howitzers, were found in the hands of Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Khartoum and Darfur.
The RSF has been engaged in a violent conflict with Sudan’s regular army since April 2023, which has led to tens of thousands of deaths, the displacement of millions, and one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises. Amnesty’s investigation, based on analysis of video footage and photos from attacks, revealed the RSF’s use of advanced Chinese-made weapons, further complicating the conflict.
The UAE has come under fire for reportedly re-exporting these weapons, particularly the AH-4 howitzers, which were imported from China in a 2019 deal, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. Despite the mounting evidence, the UAE has denied supplying weapons to the RSF, although previous reports from UN experts, US politicians, and other international organisations have suggested otherwise.
Amnesty International also documented the use of GB50A bombs in active combat for the first time, highlighting that these bombs were almost certainly sent to Sudan by the UAE. Brian Castner, head of crisis research at Amnesty, criticised the UN Security Council for failing to enforce the arms embargo on Darfur and extending it to cover the entire country.
In response to these findings, Sudan severed diplomatic relations with the UAE earlier this week, accusing it of arming the RSF with advanced weaponry. Amnesty’s report also noted the presence of weaponry from China, Russia, Turkey, and France in Sudan, further fueling the ongoing war.
The conflict, which has lasted for nearly three years, pits the Sudanese army, led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, against the RSF, led by his former deputy Mohamed Hamdan Daglo. The war has divided the country, with the army controlling the north, east, and centre, while the RSF dominates Darfur and parts of the south.
