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

• Weapons from China, Russia, Serbia, Türkiye, United Arab Emirates and Yemen identified
• Existing arms embargo on Darfur completely ineffective
• “This is a humanitarian crisis that cannot be ignored” – Deprose Muchena

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

To date, 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. Amnesty International has documented civilian casualties in both indiscriminate strikes and direct attacks on civilians. Some of the international humanitarian law violations by parties to the conflict amount to war crimes. More than 11 million people are estimated to have been internally displaced, and millions are at immediate risk of famine.

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

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

“The constant flow of arms into Sudan is continuing to cause civilian death and suffering on an immense scale,” said Deprose Muchena, Amnesty International’s Senior Director for Regional Human Rights Impact.

“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.”

Amnesty International analyzed more than 1,900 shipment records from two different trade data providers, and reviewed open source and digital evidence – including approximately 2,000 photos and videos – showing recently manufactured or recently imported weapons in Sudan. Amnesty International 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.

A global trade in death

Amnesty International 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 International 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 International 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 Türkiye 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, Türkiye’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 International 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.

The UN Security Council must urgently expand the arms embargo to the rest of Sudan

Deprose Muchena

“The UN Security Council must urgently expand the arms embargo to the rest of Sudan, and also strengthen its monitoring and verification mechanisms,” said Deprose Muchena.

“The expansion must effectively monitor and prevent international transfers and illicit diversion of arms to the country, and must cover the widest possible scope of weapons to combat the widespread diversion of shotguns, hunting rifles, blank guns and related ammunition into Sudan.

“By supplying arms to Sudan, states parties to the Arms Trade Treaty – such as China and Serbia – are violating their legal obligations under articles 6 and 7 of the Treaty, and therefore undermining the legally-binding framework which regulates the global arms trade.”

“Given the grave and ongoing human rights risks, all states and corporate actors must also immediately cease supplies of all arms and ammunition to Sudan, including the direct or indirect supply, sale or transfer of arms and military materials, including related technologies, parts and components, technical assistance, training, financial or other assistance. States must also explicitly prohibit the transfer to Sudan of firearms marketed to civilians, which Amnesty International has repeatedly documented in the hands of parties to the conflict.”

Methodology

Amnesty International 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 International and its Digital Verification Corps then corroborated the presence of weapons systems identified in the trade data by compiling and analyzing 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 analyzed and verified by Amnesty International’s Crisis Evidence Lab.

Due to the continuing conflict, Amnesty International 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.

Background to the conflict in Sudan

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. In addition, 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 International 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 International campaign advocating for protection of civilians in Sudan, and calling for accountability for those who committed atrocities against civilians.

Header image by Amnesty International