The United Nations has issued a stark warning, stating that continued arms shipments to warring factions in Sudan are “enabling the slaughter” and must cease immediately, Al Jazeera reports.
The conflict, which has plunged the country into a brutal civil war, is causing immense suffering for the Sudanese people, with over 24,000 reported deaths and a staggering 11 million displaced, including nearly three million who have fled to neighboring countries.
Rosemary DiCarlo, the UN undersecretary-general for political and peacebuilding affairs, voiced deep concern over the escalating military operations by both the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). These escalating tensions, she stated, are fueled by “considerable” external support and a steady flow of weapons.
The conflict, which began on April 15, 2023, is a result of a power struggle between the RSF, led by Mohamed Hamdan “Hemedti” Dagalo, and the SAF, headed by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan. Both sides, particularly the RSF, have been accused of war crimes and massacres, allegations they deny.
DiCarlo stressed the urgency of negotiations, but lamented that both parties appear convinced they can win on the battlefield, a belief she attributes to the support they receive from external actors.
The Sudanese government has accused the United Arab Emirates of supplying the RSF with arms, a claim the Gulf nation has denied. Reports also suggest the RSF has received support from Russia’s Wagner mercenary group.
UN experts revealed earlier this year that the RSF has benefitted from support from Arab-allied communities, with military supply lines running through neighboring Chad, Libya, and South Sudan.
Meanwhile, al-Burhan, the army chief who led a military takeover in Sudan in 2021, enjoys a close relationship with neighboring Egypt and its president, Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi. Further speculation arose after Sudanese Foreign Minister Hussein Awad Ali held talks in Tehran in February, leading to speculation that Iran may be supplying drones to government forces. However, Iran has denied any such shipments.
The UN Security Council is currently considering a resolution proposed by the United Kingdom, demanding an immediate cessation of hostilities in Sudan. The resolution also calls for unhindered humanitarian aid delivery as more than half of the country’s 50 million people face severe food shortages.
The draft resolution also seeks to extend a three-month authorization granted by Sudanese authorities allowing the UN and aid groups to utilize the Adre border crossing with Chad for aid delivery to Darfur. This authorization is set to expire in mid-November.
