The armed conflict in Sudan has taken an international turn with the capture of UAE-made armoured vehicles equipped with French defence systems by the Sudanese army. Amnesty International revealed in a report the presence of these UAE-made armoured personnel carriers in different regions of Sudan, including in the Darfur region, where they were used by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary militia in conflict with the Sudanese Armed Forces.
The use of these military vehicles on the battlefield likely constitutes a violation of the UN arms embargo, which prohibits the transfer of weapons to Sudan. The country has been plunged into a deadly civil conflict since April 2023, pitting the RSF against the Sudanese army. The confrontation has resulted in massive human rights violations, killing more than 20,000 people and forcing 11.6 million people to forcibly relocate, including 8.3 million within the country and 3.1 million to neighboring countries.
Sudanese authorities accuse the UAE of supplying weapons to the RSF, prolonging the 18-month conflict with the army. However, the UAE has denied the allegations. An Amnesty International report identified several Nimr Ajban armored personnel carriers on the ground, confirming images shared on social media showing these vehicles captured or destroyed by the Sudanese army. These vehicles, manufactured in the UAE by the Edge Group and equipped with the Galix reactive defense system, designed in France by Lacroix Defense and KNDS France, are at the heart of this controversy.
The Galix system is designed to protect vehicles from threats by releasing projectiles, smoke and decoys, according to Lacroix’s website. Amnesty International is calling on France to ensure that Lacroix Defense and KNDS France immediately stop supplying the system to the UAE. In its response to Amnesty International’s report, Lacroix said it had supplied Galix systems to the UAE armed forces for smoke countermeasures, in strict accordance with the export licenses granted.
In addition, a spokesperson for the UAE government said that the UAE was the target of a disinformation campaign aimed at undermining its foreign policy, regional role and humanitarian efforts. He strongly denied its involvement in the Sudanese conflict and highlighted the humanitarian actions deployed to help the Sudanese population affected by the conflict.
This controversy underscores the importance of respecting arms embargoes and transparency in international arms transactionsAs Sudan seeks to emerge from this deadly crisis, the international community must redouble its efforts to end arms transfers that fuel conflict and human rights violations.