UAE Implicated in International Death Trade, According to Amnesty International

Amnesty International has accused the UAE of participating in a global arms trade that exacerbates civil conflicts and supports armed militias. The organization highlighted Sudan as a critical example of how Abu Dhabi’s actions contribute to civilian deaths and instability.

The report details how the steady influx of weapons into Sudan, often in violation of the arms embargo on Darfur, fuels ongoing violence. Amnesty International documented the transfer of newly manufactured weapons and ammunition from various countries, including the UAE, China, Russia, Serbia, Turkey, and Yemen, into Sudan and, in some cases, redirected to Darfur.

Since the escalation of the conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces in April 2023, over 16,650 people have been killed, underscoring the devastating impact of the arms trade on civilian lives.

Amnesty International has reported extensive civilian casualties resulting from both indiscriminate and targeted attacks against non-combatants.

The organization notes that some violations of international humanitarian law by the conflict parties constitute war crimes. The crisis has led to the internal displacement of over 11 million people and placed millions more at imminent risk of famine.

Debroz Muchena, Senior Director of Amnesty International’s Regional Human Rights Impact Programme, stated, “The ongoing influx of weapons into Sudan continues to exacerbate civilian suffering and death on a massive scale.”

He added, “Our research has revealed that these weapons are being wielded by fighters accused of committing violations of international humanitarian and human rights laws. We have meticulously tracked various lethal weapons, including handguns and both short- and long-range rifles, used by the warring factions in Sudan.”

He continued, “The current arms embargo, which only applies to Darfur, is inadequate. It should be updated and extended to cover all of Sudan. This is a humanitarian crisis that demands immediate action. With the threat of famine looming, the global community cannot continue to neglect the plight of Sudan’s civilians.”

Amnesty International analyzed over 1,900 shipping records from two commercial data providers and reviewed nearly 2,000 images and videos documenting newly manufactured or imported weapons in Sudan.

The organization also conducted interviews with 17 regional arms and conflict experts between February and March 2024 to validate their data and investigate the arms supply networks utilized by various groups.

The findings reveal that newly manufactured or transferred small arms and ammunition from multiple countries are being used by different factions in the conflict.

Both sides of the conflict have used advanced anti-drone jammers, mortar shells, and anti-materiel rifles made in China.

The Rapid Support Forces used a variety of newly manufactured armored personnel carriers imported from the UAE.

Data collected on the level of shipments indicate that Turkish companies have exported hundreds of thousands of pistols to Sudan in recent years, along with millions of rifle cartridges.

Amnesty International believes they may have been turned into lethal weapons in Sudan on a large scale, indicating a need for closer scrutiny of this barely regulated trade.

Amnesty International has also identified a troubling trend where light weapons, usually sold in civilian markets, are being diverted to government forces and armed opposition groups. Companies in Turkey and Russia have exported civilian versions of light weapons used by both sides in the Sudanese conflict.

Weapons like the Tiger marksman rifles and Saiga-Mk rifles, manufactured by Kalashnikov in Russia, are typically marketed to civilian gun owners but have been sold to arms dealers with strong ties to the Sudanese Armed Forces.

Additionally, small arms trade data shows that Turkish companies, including Derya Arms, BRG Defense, and Dhaliulu Arms, have been exporting Turkish short- and long-range hunting rifles to Sudan in recent years.

For example, a video shown on the official Rapid Support Forces account on X—reportedly filmed in Nyala, South Darfur, on February 15, 2024—shows a Rapid Support Forces soldier equipped with a BRG 55 rifle manufactured by the Turkish company Borgo Metal.

Amnesty International also revealed evidence indicating that modern Chinese mortar shells were used in El Daein, eastern Darfur and that modern Chinese light weapons are also widely available in other areas of Sudan.

“The UN Security Council should urgently expand the scope of the arms embargo to include the rest of Sudan, and also strengthen its monitoring and verification mechanisms,” Debroz Muchena said.

“It must oversee the expansion of the arms embargo and effectively prevent both international transfers and illicit diversions of arms into the country. The embargo should encompass a broad range of weapons to address the widespread diversion of short-range rifles, hunting rifles, pistols, and related ammunition.

He added, “By supplying weapons to Sudan, states parties to the Arms Trade Treaty, such as China and Serbia, are violating their legal obligations under Articles 6 and 7 of the Treaty, thus undermining the legally binding framework that regulates the global arms trade.”

He emphasized that “Given the serious and ongoing human rights risks, all states and active companies must immediately halt all supplies of weapons and ammunition to Sudan.

This includes both direct and indirect supplies, as well as the sale and transfer of military equipment, related technologies, parts and components, technical assistance, training, financial support, or any other form of aid.”

He further stated, “States must also explicitly ban the transfer of firearms marketed to civilians to Sudan, which Amnesty International has repeatedly documented being used by the warring parties.”

Fighting erupted in Sudan in April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, which are supported by the UAE.

Since then, other armed groups and actors have entered the conflict, aligning themselves with either the Sudanese Armed Forces or the Rapid Support Forces.

The clashes followed months of tension between the two factions over proposed reforms to the security forces, which were part of negotiations aimed at forming a new transitional government, among other issues.

The conflict has resulted in a massive displacement of civilians, with the United Nations estimating that over 11 million people have been internally displaced since April 2023.

Additionally, approximately 1.8 million people have sought refuge in neighboring countries such as the Central African Republic, Chad, Egypt, Ethiopia, and South Sudan, where they are enduring severe conditions.