UN Investigation Finds Foreign Fighters and Weapons Fueling Sudan Conflict

A UN backed independent fact finding mission has warned that foreign fighters and support networks are fueling the conflict in Sudan and worsening violence against civilians. The report states that external involvement has strengthened the military capabilities of both the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), enabling more sophisticated operations and strikes far beyond the front lines. The mission found reasonable grounds to believe that attacks by both sides may amount to war crimes.

Investigators documented a transnational network involving individuals and entities in the United Arab Emirates, Chad, Libya, and Somalia that facilitated the transfer of weapons, ammunition, and logistical support to the RSF. Specifically, the report highlighted the deployment of up to 2,000 ex military Colombian contractors who operated combat drones and advanced weapons alongside RSF units. Other fighters from South Sudan, Chad, and Ethiopia were also identified. In response, the United Arab Emirates denied any involvement in the civil war or the provision of arms to any party.

Regarding the regular army, the mission found evidence that foreign supplied drones and loitering munitions expanded its long range strike capabilities. These weapons were allegedly used in attacks on civilian infrastructure, including a strike on Ad Da ein Teaching Hospital in East Darfur that killed at least 70 people. Between January and May, drone strikes killed more than 1,000 civilians.

The conflict, which began in April 2023, has displaced millions of people and created a severe humanitarian crisis. The fact finding mission and the United States have called on the UN Security Council to expand the existing arms embargo on the Darfur region to cover all of Sudan to protect civilians.