Foreign arms, drones fuel Sudan war, says UN probe, Pg16

Key Highlights:

• A UN fact-finding mission reported that foreign weapons, military technology, fighters, and logistical networks are sustaining the conflict in Sudan.
• The mission found evidence that a network involving individuals and entities in the UAE, Chad, Libya, and Somalia supplied the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) with various forms of support.
• External support for the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) was noted to be at an early stage, but also involved foreign-supplied drones.
• The influx of foreign aid and technology, including drones, has expanded the warring parties' ability to strike distant civilian areas.
• The UN Human Rights Council established the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission for the Sudan in October 2023 to investigate human rights violations.

Detailed Insights:

• The conflict in Sudan, which began in April 2023, is primarily between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), commanded by General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemedti).
• The RSF originated from the Janjaweed militias, which were formalized into a paramilitary force in 2013 by then-President Omar al-Bashir.
• The UN fact-finding mission documented the deployment of up to 2,000 former Colombian military contractors operating combat drones and advanced weapons alongside RSF units in Darfur and Kordofan.
• Both the RSF and the SAF have utilized foreign-supplied drones, enhancing their military capabilities and enabling strikes far beyond front lines.
• The war has led to a severe humanitarian crisis, displacing over 12 million people and resulting in widespread human rights violations, with some actions potentially amounting to war crimes.
• The mission urged member states to halt illicit supply networks and enforce the UN arms embargo, which currently applies only to the Darfur region.
• External actors, including various Gulf states and neighboring countries, are pursuing their strategic interests in Sudan, which has prolonged the conflict and complicated diplomatic resolution efforts.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Rapid Support Forces (RSF): A powerful paramilitary group in Sudan, formed from the Janjaweed militias, currently engaged in a civil war against the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF).
• Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF): The official military forces of the Republic of Sudan, led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan.
• UN Human Rights Council: An intergovernmental body within the United Nations system responsible for promoting and protecting human rights globally.
• Arms Embargo: A government or international order that restricts or prohibits the supply of weapons and military equipment to a specific country or group.