Sudan: Constant flow of arms fuelling relentless civilian suffering in conflict - new investigation

Weapons from United Arab Emirates, China, Russia, Serbia, Turkey and Yemen identified

Existing arms embargo on Darfur completely ineffective

More than 16,650 people have been killed since April last year

‘This is a humanitarian crisis that cannot be ignored’ – Deprose Muchena

The conflict in Sudan is being fuelled by a constant flow of weapons into the country, Amnesty International said today in a new report.

The 60-page report, New Weapons Fuelling the Sudan Conflict, documents how recently manufactured foreign weapons have been transferred into and around Sudan, often in flagrant breach of the existing Darfur arms embargo.

Amnesty found that recently manufactured or recently transferred weapons and ammunition from countries including China, Russia, Serbia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Yemen are being imported in large quantities into Sudan, and then in some cases diverted into Darfur.

More than 16,650 people have been killed since the escalation in conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in April 2023. More than 11 million people are estimated to have been internally displaced, and millions are at immediate risk of famine.

Deprose Muchena, Amnesty International’s Senior Director for Regional Human Rights Impact, said:

“The constant flow of arms into Sudan is continuing to cause civilian death and suffering on an immense scale.

“Our research shows that weapons entering the country have been placed into the hands of combatants who are accused of international humanitarian and human rights law violations.

“We have methodically tracked a range of lethal weapons – including handguns, shotguns and rifles – that are being used in Sudan by warring forces.

“It is clear that the existing arms embargo that currently applies only to Darfur is completely inadequate and must be updated and extended to cover the whole of Sudan.

“This is a humanitarian crisis that cannot be ignored. As the threat of famine looms large, the world cannot continue to fail civilians in Sudan.”

A global trade in death

Amnesty identified recently manufactured or recently transferred small arms and ammunition from a range of countries being used on the battlefield by various parties to the conflict. Advanced drone jammers, mortars and anti-materiel rifles manufactured in China have been used by both sides of the conflict. A variety of recently manufactured armoured personnel carriers from the UAE have been used by the RSF.

Shipment-level trade data indicates that hundreds of thousands of blank guns have been exported by Turkish companies to Sudan in recent years, along with millions of blank cartridges. Amnesty believes that these may be being converted into lethal weapons in Sudan on a large scale, indicating the need for closer scrutiny of this largely unregulated trade.

Amnesty also identified an emerging trend of small arms normally sold into the civilian market being diverted instead to government forces and armed opposition groups. Companies in Turkey and Russia have exported civilian variants of small arms which are used by both parties to the conflict.

Weapons such as the Tigr designated marksman rifles or Saiga-MK rifles – manufactured by Russia’s Kalashnikov Concern – are normally marketed to civilian gunowners but have been sold to arms dealers with strong links to the SAF.

Sarsilmaz, Turkey’s main small arms manufacturer, supplies the SAF. Analysis of trade data also revealed how smaller Turkish companies – such as Derya Arms, BRG Defense and Dağlıoğlu Silah – have also been exporting Turkish hunting shotguns and rifles to Sudan in recent years. For instance, one video posted by the RSF on its official X account, reportedly filmed in Nyala in South Darfur on 15 February 2024, shows one RSF soldier equipped with a BRG 55 rifle manufactured by the Turkish company Burgu Metal. Amnesty also uncovered evidence that recently manufactured Chinese mortars have been used in El-Daein in East Darfur, and that recent Chinese small arms are also widely present in other parts of Sudan.

Deprose Muchena said:

“Given the grave and ongoing human rights risks, all states and corporate actors must immediately cease supplies of all arms and ammunition to Sudan, including the direct or indirect supply, sale or transfer of arms and military materials, related technologies, parts and components, technical assistance, training, financial or other assistance.”

Amnesty’s investigation

Amnesty obtained details regarding more than 1,900 shipments of weapons from various countries into Sudan by reviewing shipment-level trade data collected from two providers, covering 2013-2023 and 2020-2023 respectively.

Amnesty and its Digital Verification Corps then corroborated the presence of weapons systems identified in the trade data by compiling and analysing a large number of videos and images gathered from social media platforms. The photos and videos include footage posted by the RSF or the SAF, and also content from known SAF or RSF affiliate operatives. Where possible, digital evidence was also analysed and verified by Amnesty’s Crisis Evidence Lab.

Amnesty also interviewed 17 regional arms and Sudan experts between February and March 2024 to corroborate data analysis and investigate weapons supply lines used by various groups.

Due to the continuing conflict, Amnesty researchers were not able to conduct investigations in Sudan. All companies and actors cited were presented with findings ahead of publication and provided with an opportunity to reply and provide additional information. Where relevant, elements from these replies have been added to the briefing.

Sudan conflict

Fighting erupted in Sudan in April 2023 between the SAF and RSF paramilitaries. Since then, other armed groups and actors have joined the conflict, aligning themselves with either the SAF or the RSF. The fighting came after months of tensions between the two groups over security force reforms, proposed as part of the negotiations for a new transitional government, among other issues.

The conflict has led to massive civilian displacement, with more than 7.3 million people estimated to have been internally displaced since April 2023 according to the UN. A further 2.1 million people are estimated to have fled to neighbouring Central African Republic, Chad, Egypt, Ethiopia and South Sudan, where they live in dire conditions.

On 15 April 2024, the first anniversary of the Sudan conflict, Amnesty launched a global petition urging the UN Security Council to extend the existing arms embargo beyond Darfur to the rest of Sudan. This is part of a wider Amnesty campaign advocating for protection of civilians in Sudan, and calling for accountability for those who committed atrocities against civilians.