New report finds that outside forces are fueling the war in Sudan

These actions strengthen the military capabilities of the conflicting parties and enable increasingly sophisticated military operations with devastating consequences for civilians, according to the statement. report by the UN Independent International Fact-Finding Mission for Sudan.

The report documents the involvement of transnational entities operating in several countries in recruiting, training and deploying foreign personnel to support the RSF, as well as facilitating the transfer of weapons, ammunition and military technology, and providing logistical support.

The report also concluded that there are reasonable grounds to believe that the SAF used foreign-supplied drones in operations that harmed civilians and civilian objects.

It is civilians who are most affected

The mission points to the “strict international legal obligations” that States linked to these supply chains are obliged to assume, requiring them to conduct due diligence, investigate and disrupt mercenary and illicit supply networks operating from or through their territories, prevent abuses, and enforce the UN arms embargo.

“The consequences of this external support are felt most by civilians,” said Mohamad Chande Othman, Head of the Fact Finding Mission.

“This external support does not provide greater protection for civilians. Instead, civilians suffer the consequences through attacks on homes, hospitals, schools, markets and refugee camps.”

The mission said it had documented the deployment of up to 2,000 former Colombian military contractors directly involved in operating combat drones, artillery and advanced weapons alongside RSF units in Darfur and Kordofan.

The report concludes that there are reasonable grounds to believe that private entities, logistics facilitators, and recruiters operating from countries including Colombia and the United Arab Emirates are using transit points in Chad, southeastern Libya, and the Somali city of Bosaso to facilitate the delivery of personnel, training, weapons, and logistical supplies to the RSF in Sudan.

Drone capabilities expanded

Mona Rishmawi, an expert member of the mission, said it had identified “a chain of transnational networks spanning several countries” that provided the RSF with foreign personnel, training, weapons and logistics.

“This support fed into RSF operations in the Zamzam camp and later during the takeover of El-Fasher, where the Mission documented gross violations of human rights and international humanitarian law as well as international crimes, including acts showing the characteristics of genocide,” he said.

The report also found that foreign suppliers have substantially improved the capabilities of RSF and SAF drones, allowing them to strike far beyond the front lines.

Translate warnings into action

The investigators called on countries to enforce an arms embargo on Darfur, halt military deployments if there is a substantial risk of contributing to serious abuses, investigate individuals and entities involved in illicit support networks, and strengthen accountability measures.

They are also urgent Security Council to expand the arms embargo to cover all of Sudan.

Osman reminded that the international community has repeatedly received warnings about violations occurring in Sudan.

“Those warnings must now be translated into action,” he said.

“Protecting civilians in Sudan requires action not only against those who wage this war, but also against the individuals, entities, and networks that enable the continuation of this war.”