Stop supplying weapons to Sudan’s warring parties, says UN

NEW YORK - Global peace body; the United Nations, has warned teams supplying weapons to warring teams in Sudan, accusing them of being enablers of 'slaughter' as the war enters its third year with each side determined to win.

The Rapid Support Force (RSF) and the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) have been fighting for the last two years over the control of the government, causing a humanitarian crisis in the country. The teams have escalated their military operations fuelled by considerable external support and a steady flow of arms, said Rosemary DiCarlo, the UN undersecretary-general for political and peacebuilding affairs.

“To put it bluntly, certain purported allies of the parties are enabling the slaughter in Sudan,” she told the UN Security Council (UNSC) late on Tuesday, without naming any of the countries or parties sending weapons.

“This is unconscionable. It is illegal, and it must end.”

Sudan plunged into civil war on April 15, 2023, as a result of a power struggle between the RSF led by Mohamed Hamdan “Hemedti” Dagalo and SAF chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan. Both teams have yet to initiate a transition to civilian authority.

Estimates by the United Nations show over 24,000 people have been killed in the last two years with over 11 million displaced, Al-Jazeera reports. At least 3 million people have fled to neighbouring Ethiopia, Chad, and South Sudan.

Both sides, especially the RSF, have been accused of war crimes and massacres, which they deny. The paramilitary group, which faces many allegations of ethnic cleansing in areas including West Darfur, claims rogue parties are behind the attacks.

In a press conference, DiCarlo said it's time for the warring parties to come to the negotiation table, an idea which the armed forces have rubbished for a while. The United States has been pushing for Cessation of Hostilities but both parties are fighting to win the battle.

The government of Sudan has accused the United Arab Emirates of arming the RSF. The Gulf nation has denied the allegations. The RSF has also reportedly received armed backing from Russia’s Wagner mercenary group.

Sudan has struggled for stability for the last six years after the ouster of Omar Al-Bashir, who was forced out by the military after a popular uprising. The country has yet to pave way for the civilian rule, leading to concerns from members of the international community.

GAROWE ONLINE