UAE-supplied Chinese weapons used by Sudan’s RSF in violation of UN embargo - Amnesty
Amnesty also expressed concern over the role of China in continuing to supply such weapons to the UAE, which has a history of breaching international arms controls.
Amnesty International has revealed that Chinese-made weapons, supplied by the United Arab Emirates (UAE), have been found with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), clearly violating a United Nations arms embargo.
According to an investigation by Amnesty International, sophisticated Chinese weaponry, re-exported by the United Arab Emirates (UAE), has been seized in Khartoum and used in Darfur, violating the UN arms embargo.
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The investigation identified Chinese-made GB50A guided bombs and 155mm AH-4 howitzers, which were captured in the aftermath of attacks by Sudan's Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
The weapons were produced by China’s state-owned Norinco Group and were almost certainly re-exported to Sudan by the UAE, despite the existing embargo on arms shipments to the country.
"By analysing pictures and videos of the aftermath of attacks by the Rapid Support Forces, we identified Chinese-made GB50A guided bombs and 155mm AH-4 howitzers. This is the first time GB50A bombs have been documented in active use in any conflict worldwide,” stated Amnesty International in a statement.
Brian Castner, Head of Crisis Research at Amnesty International, condemned the violation, saying, "This is clear evidence that sophisticated Chinese-made guided bombs and howitzers have been used in Sudan, breaching the UN arms embargo."
"The presence of recently manufactured Chinese bombs in North Darfur is a clear violation of the arms embargo by the UAE. Our documentation of AH-4 howitzers in Khartoum further strengthens the growing body of evidence showing extensive UAE support to the RSF, in violation of international law."
Amnesty also criticised the UAE for facilitating the transfer of such weapons to the RSF, a group accused of perpetrating war crimes in Sudan.
The RSF’s use of these advanced weapons is believed to be exacerbating the suffering of civilians in Sudan.
Amnesty International called on the international community to take immediate action to stop all arms transfers to the UAE.
Castner stated, “It is shameful that the UN Security Council is failing to implement the existing arms embargo on Darfur, and not heeding calls to extend it to all of Sudan. Civilians are being killed and injured because of global inaction, while the UAE continues to flout the embargo. The UAE must halt its arms transfers to the RSF immediately. Until they do, all international arms transfers to the UAE must also stop.”
Amnesty also expressed concern over the role of China in continuing to supply such weapons to the UAE, which has a history of breaching international arms controls.
The organisation is urging China to review its arms exports and cease transfers to the UAE if they continue to be re-exported to Sudan.
“China, as a state party to the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), must take urgent measures to prevent the diversion of arms to Sudan. By continuing to supply such weapons to the UAE – a state which has a long track record of supplying arms to conflict where war crimes and violations of international humanitarian law are regularly occurring – China risks indirectly supplying weapons to the conflict,” it said.
Amnesty had previously documented the use of Chinese-made Wing Loong drones in Libya, another conflict where the UAE has faced accusations of violating arms embargoes.
As the conflict in Sudan escalates, Amnesty International insists that urgent action is needed to prevent further bloodshed.
The organisation has called for an immediate halt to arms transfers to the UAE until it can guarantee that none of its weapons will be diverted to Sudan or other embargoed destinations.
“All states should stop transferring arms to the UAE until such time that the UAE can guarantee that none will be reexported to Sudan or to other embargoed destinations, and that all its past breaches of the UNSC arms embargoes are thoroughly investigated and perpetrators brought to account,” the organisation stated.
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