Trump envoy calls for Sudan-wide arms embargo as drone attacks escalate
A wider arms embargo would require a UN Security Council vote - and Russia and China oppose the move.
Donald Trump's senior Africa envoy has urged the UN to broaden its arms embargo to encompass all of Sudan, not just Darfur, as drone attacks intensify and concerns grow that the conflict could destabilize the wider region.
Massad Boulos stated that the UN Security Council "must act to stop external financial and military support to the parties, such as drones and related technologies, from entering Sudan."
Drone attacks have escalated in recent months, with both the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) accused of deploying them. The conflict, now in its fourth year, has claimed tens of thousands of lives and displaced 14 million people.
However, extending the arms embargo would necessitate a Security Council vote, a move opposed by Russia and China, who argue it would compromise the Sudanese army's effectiveness. Sudan's UN envoy echoed this sentiment, asserting it would weaken civilian protection.
The army maintains control over much of Sudan's central and eastern regions, while the RSF is headquartered in Darfur in the west and also holds territory in the south.
As the UN Security Council deliberated the arms embargo, reports emerged of the army conducting drone strikes on RSF positions in Nyala, Darfur. Nyala airport has become a crucial logistics hub for the paramilitary group, and the attack occurred hours after a large cargo flight landed in the city.
The existing arms embargo on Darfur has been in effect for over two decades and is set to expire next month unless renewed or amended. Observers note that it appears to have done little to stem the flow of weapons into Darfur, which has experienced some of the most intense fighting since the conflict erupted in April 2023.
Ethnic violence, reminiscent of events 20 years ago, has reignited in Darfur. UN experts have stated that atrocities allegedly committed by RSF fighters during their takeover of el-Fasher last October bore the "hallmarks" of genocide.
During the council meeting, UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher warned that recent fighting has been "characterised by the heavy use of drones." Rosemary DiCarlo, the UN's under secretary-general for political and peacebuilding affairs, informed the council that civilians are enduring "the unrelenting consequences of one of the worst humanitarian crises of our time."
DiCarlo highlighted that "Drones launched by both sides have repeatedly struck markets, schools, fuel stations and water infrastructure," adding that the UN has documented 1,100 civilian deaths from drone strikes between January and June of this year. She noted that the true death toll since the war began is uncertain but "likely to be in the hundreds of thousands." The continued use of "sophisticated weaponry" suggests ongoing external support to both factions, she added.
Boulos outlined that the US plan includes a proposal to increase the number of experts monitoring the embargo. He urged the council to take measures to curb "external actors" fueling the conflict, warning that this "risks drawing more regional actors and neighbours deeper into Sudan's conflict."
Sudan's military chief, Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, appeared undeterred by the UN's proposals. "The continuing talk about the possibility of imposing sanctions on the country will neither affect us nor weaken our resolve," he stated at a police graduation event in Khartoum on Monday.
Various experts have analyzed the flow of weapons into Sudan. Amnesty International has previously reported finding evidence of weapons manufactured in Serbia, Russia, China, Turkey, Yemen, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) being used in Sudan. The UAE, in particular, is accused of being the primary provider of arms and support to the RSF, which in turn is accused of using the UAE as a marketplace for illicit gold sales. Both parties have consistently denied these allegations.
Sudan's military has utilized Turkish and Iranian drones and receives political and other backing from Egypt, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia. The two warring rivals were once allies, having jointly seized power in a 2021 coup, but their alliance fractured over an internationally supported plan to transition to civilian rule.