Amnesty International revealed Thursday that French-made weapon systems have been supplied to Sudan's rebel group, following an analysis of images and materials from the conflict zone in the African nation.
According to evidence published on social media and analyzed by the organization, French-manufactured military systems were installed on armored vehicles supplied to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), who are fighting government troops and stand accused of numerous massacres and war crimes against civilians and ethnic minorities.
This represents a violation of two separate UN embargo resolutions on the country, dating back to the regime of dictator Omar al-Bashir, who was ousted in the country's 2019 coup. One of these embargo decisions specifically concerns the Darfur region in the western part of the country, where terrorists are carrying out massacres against the tribal Christian minority residing in the province.
Our research shows that weaponry designed and manufactured in France is in active use on the battlefield in Sudan." @AgnesCallamard
Read more below; #KeepeyesonSudanhttps://t.co/87W4qz0iYE— Amnesty Eastern Africa (@AmnestyEARO) November 14, 2024
According to Amnesty International's claims, Galix vehicle defense systems, manufactured by French company Lacroix, were supplied to RSF forces by the United Arab Emirates, a major purchaser of French military equipment. While the armored vehicles were manufactured in the UAE, the defense system, designed to provide screening in case of kinetic attacks, originates from France.
Although the French company sold the weapons to a third party, apparently without direct intention to supply them to Sudan's RSF, countries signing arms deals are supposed to have clauses preventing such situations, and it's possible that France chose to ignore or even approve the UAE's transfer of the defense systems to the Sudanese rebel group.
