Amnesty International reports that French military technology, specifically the Galix defense system, is being used by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Sudan’s civil war, violating a UN arms embargo. The organization has urged the French government to stop exports that could contribute to human rights violations. The ongoing conflict has resulted in significant casualties and displacement, with international calls to strengthen arms controls in the region.
Amnesty International has reported that French military technology is being employed in the ongoing civil war in Sudan, which violates the United Nations arms embargo. The organization highlights that the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia are utilizing vehicles equipped with French-made Galix defense systems supplied by the United Arab Emirates in the Darfur region. Amnesty’s Secretary General, Agnès Callamard, stated, “Our research shows that weaponry designed and manufactured in France is in active use on the battlefield in Sudan.” Despite these accusations, French authorities have not provided a response, and the UAE has denied claims of arming the RSF.
The Galix system, manufactured in France by companies KNDS and Lacroix, is intended to protect land forces from close-range attacks. Amnesty warns that these weapons may facilitate severe human rights violations and urges the French government to halt all exports of this system to the UAE. The organization presented verified images of damaged vehicles displaying the Galix system. Amnesty asserted, “If France cannot guarantee through export controls, including end user certification, that arms will not be re-exported to Sudan, it should not authorise those transfers.”
The UN first instituted an arms embargo in Darfur in 2004 due to allegations of ethnic cleansing against non-Arabic populations. Following the civil war that erupted last year, Amnesty has called for the expansion of this embargo across Sudan and the enhancement of monitoring mechanisms. The conflict has seen the RSF, led by General Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, engage in fierce battles against Sudan’s national army, commanded by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, since April 2023, resulting in widespread devastation.
The RSF has faced accusations of ethnic cleansing in Darfur but has denied these claims, attributing violence to local militias. Both combatants have been implicated in war crimes, and the violence has led to significant loss of life and displacement of millions.
The current conflict in Sudan stems from a power struggle between former allies—General Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, leader of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), and Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, head of the national army. This discord escalated into civil war in April 2023, leading to devastating consequences for the civilian population. The international community, including the United Nations, has intervened by imposing various arms embargoes to curb the flow of weapons into the conflict, particularly after reports of ethnic cleansing emerged in the Darfur region. Reports from human rights organizations like Amnesty International highlight violations of these embargoes, particularly the involvement of French military equipment in the ongoing violence.
In summary, Amnesty International has alleged that French weapons are actively utilized in the ongoing conflict in Sudan, in violation of a UN arms embargo. The use of the Galix defense system by the RSF raises serious concerns over compliance with international arms regulations. Amnesty calls for immediate actions from the French government to halt weapon exports to the UAE to prevent further rights violations. Meanwhile, the humanitarian crisis continues to deepen amidst rampant accusations of war crimes and ethnic cleansing by involved parties.
Original Source: www.bbc.com
