French-made weaponry found in Sudan violating UN arms embargo, says Amnesty
A truck carrying gunmen affiliated with Sudan's army drives on a street in the eastern city of Gedaref on November 11, 2024. - The war between rival Sudanese generals since April 2023 has killed tens of thousands of people and displaced more than 11 million, with 3.1 million of them seeking shelter beyond the country's borders, according to the UN. (Photo by AFP)
Military equipment manufactured in France has been found in active use on the front lines of Sudan’s civil war, Amnesty International said Thursday, marking a clear violation of the United Nations arms embargo on the Darfur region.
The rights group revealed that armored personnel carriers (APCs) supplied by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and used by Sudan’s paramilitary forces, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), were fitted with the French-made Galix defense system. Amnesty’s investigation discovered that these systems were mounted on Nimr Ajban APCs, vehicles delivered by the UAE to the RSF.
“Weapons designed and manufactured in France are being deployed in active combat in Sudan,” said Agnes Callamard, Secretary General of Amnesty International, in a statement. “This is a direct violation of international law, and we urge France to halt the supply of such weaponry immediately.”
The Galix system, manufactured by French companies KNDS and Lacroix, consists of sensors linked to launchers that can fire smoke, decoys, or projectiles. According to Lacroix, the system is intended not only for self-defense but also to actively neutralize hostile personnel. Amnesty provided evidence, including photos of destroyed vehicles equipped with the Galix system, to substantiate their claims.
The conflict in Sudan, which has intensified over recent weeks, pits the country’s military, led by Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, against the RSF, commanded by Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, a former ally. Both sides have been accused of committing war crimes, and the violence has displaced more than 11 million people, according to the United Nations, making it the world’s worst displacement crisis. Despite the severity of the situation, the war has garnered less international attention compared to other ongoing conflicts, such as those in Ukraine and the Middle East.
A U.N. arms embargo has been in place on Sudan’s Darfur region since 2004, aiming to prevent the flow of weapons to the area amid ongoing violence. Amnesty has called for the embargo to be expanded to cover the entire country, citing the re-exportation of French-made weapons to Sudan through the UAE.
Callamard emphasized that any use of the Galix system in Darfur constitutes a breach of the embargo. “If France cannot ensure that its weapons are not being diverted to Sudan, it should not authorize exports to countries like the UAE,” she said.
French authorities, including the SGDSN, which oversees arms exports, declined to comment on the Amnesty report. Both KNDS and Lacroix also refused to provide statements.
The Galix system is fitted on more than 5,000 military vehicles worldwide, including some in use by the French military. Amnesty has called on Paris to immediately stop supplying this system to the UAE to prevent further violations of international law.
