Outside forces fuel Sudan war, new report finds

This action is strengthening the military capabilities of the warring parties and enabling increasingly sophisticated military operations with devastating consequences for civilians, according to the report by the UN Independent International Fact-Finding Mission for the Sudan.

The report documented the involvement of transnational entities operating in several countries in recruiting, training, and deploying foreign personnel to support the RSF, as well as facilitating the transfer of weapons, ammunition, and military technology, and providing logistical support.

It also concluded that there are reasonable grounds to believe that the SAF used foreign-supplied drones in operations that harmed civilians and civilian objects.

Civilians bearing the brunt

The mission pointed to the “strict international legal obligations” incumbent upon States linked to these supply chains, which require them to exercise due diligence, investigate and stop illicit mercenary and supply networks operating from or through their territories, prevent violations, and enforce the UN arms embargo.

“The consequences of this external support are being felt most acutely by civilians,” said Mohamad Chande Othman, Chair of the Fact-Finding Mission.

“This external support has not brought greater protection for civilians. Instead, civilians are paying the price through attacks on homes, hospitals, schools, markets and places of refuge.”

The mission said it had documented the deployment of up to 2,000 former Colombian military contractors who were directly involved in operating combat drones, artillery and advanced weapons alongside RSF units in Darfur and Kordofan.

The report concluded that there are reasonable grounds to believe that private entities, logistical facilitators, and recruiters operating from countries including Colombia and the United Arab Emirates used transit points in Chad, southeastern Libya, and the Somalian city of Bosaso to facilitate the delivery of personnel, training, weapons, and logistical supplies to the RSF in Sudan.

Drone capabilities expanded

Mona Rishmawi, an expert member of the mission, said it had identified “a transnational chain of networks spanning several countries” that provided the RSF with foreign personnel, training, weapons and logistics.

“This support fed into RSF operations in Zamzam camp and later during the takeover of El-Fasher, where the Mission documented grave human rights and international humanitarian law violations and international crimes, including conduct displaying hallmarks of genocide,” she said.

The report also found that foreign suppliers have substantially enhanced the drone capabilities of both the RSF and the SAF, enabling them to strike far beyond front lines.

Translate warnings into action

The investigators called on States to enforce the arms embargo on Darfur, halt military transfers where there is a substantial risk of contributing to serious violations, investigate individuals and entities involved in illicit support networks, and strengthen accountability measures.

They also urged the Security Council to extend the arms embargo to cover all of Sudan.

Mr. Osman recalled that the international community has received repeated warnings about the violations in Sudan.

“Those warnings must now translate into action,” he said.

“Protecting civilians in Sudan requires taking action not only against those waging this war, but also against the individuals, entities, and networks that enable its continuation.”