Amnesty International has reported the use of French military technology in Sudan’s civil war, violating a UN arms embargo. The Rapid Support Forces are utilizing vehicles equipped with the Galix defense system, prompting calls for the cessation of arms supplies. The situation raises serious concerns about human rights violations amid the ongoing conflict between the RSF and Sudan’s army.
Amnesty International has reported that French military technology is actively utilized in Sudan’s ongoing civil war, in breach of a United Nations arms embargo. Specifically, the organization indicated that the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a militia battling the Sudanese army, employs vehicles equipped with the Galix defense system, manufactured by French firms. Amnesty’s Secretary General, Agnès Callamard, highlighted this alarming situation, emphasizing that these weapons, designed for defense against close-range attacks, may facilitate severe human rights violations. Photos purportedly corroborating the claims show destroyed vehicles with the Galix system in visible evidence.
The rights group called upon the French government to halt the supply of these systems to the UAE, citing that if France cannot ascertain that arms will not be redirected to Sudan through proper export controls, it should refrain from authorizing any transfers. The UN initially imposed an arms embargo on Darfur in 2004 following allegations of ethnic cleansing towards the region’s non-Arab population. Given the escalation of civil conflict in Sudan, Amnesty has advocated for an extension of the arms embargo throughout Sudan, along with enhancements to the monitoring mechanisms governing such transactions.
Currently, the RSF, led by General Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, is engaged in an intense rivalry with Sudan’s regular army, headed by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan. This strife commenced in April 2023 as a bid for power escalated. The RSF has faced accusations of ethnic cleansing but has shifted blame to local militias. Both factions are charged with war crimes, contributing to a humanitarian crisis with thousands dead and millions displaced.
The civil war in Sudan is rooted in a complex power struggle between military factions, particularly the Rapid Support Forces and the regular army. Since April 2023, this conflict has intensified, with both sides accused of human rights violations and war crimes. The United Nations has enforced an arms embargo in Sudan since 2004, aiming to impede the flow of weapons that could exacerbate violence against civilian populations. Amnesty International is advocating for the strengthening of export controls to prevent countries from unwittingly supplying arms to parties involved in this civil strife.
The revelations put forth by Amnesty International paint a troubling picture of the involvement of French military technology in the ongoing Sudanese civil conflict. Highlighting the potential for severe human rights abuses, Amnesty’s calls for the cessation of arms exports and the strengthening of international arms embargoes underline the dire need for accountability in arms supply regulations. The situation remains critical as the humanitarian crisis unfolds amid allegations of war crimes by all involved factions.
Original Source: www.bbc.com
