Key facts
- US envoy Massad Boulos urged the UN to extend an arms embargo to all of Sudan.
- Drone attacks by both the Sudanese army and RSF have escalated.
- The UN Security Council must stop external financial and military support, including drones, from entering Sudan.
- Russia and China oppose a wider arms embargo, arguing it would weaken the army and civilian protection.
- The current arms embargo on Darfur expires next month and has been ineffective.
- UN officials reported 1,100 civilian deaths from drone strikes between January and June.
- The conflict has killed tens of thousands and displaced 14 million people.
The United States' senior envoy for Africa, Massad Boulos, has urged the UN Security Council to impose a comprehensive arms embargo across Sudan, citing the escalating use of drones by both the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
Boulos warned that the conflict, now in its fourth year, risks spreading regionally and called for an end to external financial and military support, including drone technology, entering the country. He proposed increasing the number of experts monitoring any embargo and curtailing "external actors" fueling the conflict.
However, a wider embargo faces opposition from Russia and China, who argue it would undermine the effectiveness of Sudan's army and its ability to protect civilians. Sudan's UN envoy echoed these concerns. The current arms embargo, which has been in place for over two decades in the Darfur region, is set to expire next month and has been criticized for its ineffectiveness.
Recent fighting has seen a heavy reliance on drones, with UN officials reporting 1,100 civilian deaths from drone strikes between January and June this year. The conflict has already resulted in tens of thousands of deaths and displaced 14 million people. Reports indicate the Sudanese military has used Turkish and Iranian drones, while the RSF is accused of receiving support from the UAE, though both parties deny these allegations. The military also receives political backing from Egypt, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia.
Despite the UN discussions, Sudan's military chief, Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, stated that talk of sanctions would not affect his forces' resolve. International organizations like Amnesty International have previously documented weapons from various countries, including Serbia, Russia, China, Turkey, Yemen, and the UAE, being used in Sudan.