HRW Urges UN to Expand Arms Embargo on Sudan Amidst Reports of New Foreign Weapons in Conflict

HRW advocates for the Security Council to maintain the current sanctions, at a minimum, and to expand the embargo to cover all of Sudan.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) has called for the United Nations Security Council to renew and expand the arms embargo on Sudan to cover the entire country, following a report that reveals the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have acquired modern foreign-made weapons and military equipment. The report highlights the urgent need for expanded sanctions to address the grave humanitarian and human rights crisis in Sudan, where widespread atrocities and war crimes have been reported.

Jean-Baptiste Gallopin, HRW’s senior crisis, conflict, and arms researcher, noted that the newly acquired weapons—including armed drones, anti-tank guided missiles, and multi-barrel rocket launchers—are likely to exacerbate the ongoing conflict. "The conflict in Sudan is one of the world's worst humanitarian and human rights crises, with warring parties committing atrocities with impunity," Gallopin said. "The introduction of new foreign-made military equipment into this environment increases the risk of further crimes."

HRW's analysis of 49 photos and videos, primarily from social media platforms, has identified various types of new equipment from manufacturers in China, Iran, Russia, Serbia, and the UAE. This equipment, which includes drones and advanced missiles, appears to have been acquired since the conflict escalated in April 2023. One piece of ammunition was traced back to production in 2023, indicating recent acquisition.

The conflict, which erupted between the SAF and RSF in April 2023, has resulted in numerous civilian deaths, widespread displacement, and famine. The SAF and RSF are likely to use these new weapons to continue their human rights abuses, potentially extending beyond the Darfur region to other parts of Sudan.

The UN Security Council is expected to decide on September 11 whether to renew the existing sanctions regime, which currently restricts the transfer of military equipment only to Darfur. This embargo was initially established in 2004 due to widespread abuses in Darfur but has not been updated to address the broader conflict impacting all of Sudan.

HRW argues that the current Darfur-only embargo is inadequate and that expanding it to cover all of Sudan would help prevent the misuse of new weapons and facilitate better monitoring of arms transfers. The Sudanese government has opposed expanding the embargo and has lobbied to end it, arguing that it hampers the country's ability to address the conflict.

Two verified videos from pro-SAF accounts show drones targeting civilians in Bahri (Khartoum North), underscoring the risks of continued arms transfers. One video from January 14, 2024, depicts a drone dropping mortar projectiles on unarmed civilians, while another from March 19, 2024, shows a drone attacking people at a flour mill.

HRW also highlighted that ending the arms embargo would dismantle the Panel of Experts on Sudan, which provides critical reporting on the conflict. Despite evidence of embargo violations by countries like Belarus, China, and Russia, enforcement has been limited, with only one individual sanctioned to date.

HRW advocates for the Security Council to maintain the current sanctions, at a minimum, and to expand the embargo to cover all of Sudan. It also urges the Council to publicly condemn and sanction those violating the embargo to effectively address the ongoing crisis and curb the flow of arms contributing to war crimes.

“The Security Council should take urgent measures to expand the arms embargo to all of Sudan and hold violators accountable,” Gallopin concluded.