Amnesty says UAE supplying Sudan paramilitaries with Chinese weapons

Chinese-made weapons supplied by the United Arab Emirates have been identified with Sudan's paramilitaries, Amnesty International said Thursday, as drone attacks prompted civilians to flee the army-held aid hub of Port Sudan.

The Britain-based watchdog said that its research had detailed the use by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces of sophisticated Chinese-made artillery and guided bombs in its war with the regular army, now in its third year.

Abu Dhabi has repeatedly denied arming the RSF, despite reports from UN experts, US politicians and international organisations.

Amnesty said its research was based on weapons used by the RSF in operations in the western region of Darfur and during its loss of the capital, Khartoum, in March.

It did not say anything about the long-range drones used by the paramilitaries to attack army-controlled cities in the east and south in recent days.

"Sophisticated Chinese weaponry, re-exported by the United Arab Emirates, has been captured in Khartoum, as well as used in Darfur in a blatant breach of the existing UN arms embargo," Amnesty said.

It said it identified "Chinese GB50A guided bombs and 155mm AH-4 howitzers" through analysis of video footage and photos of RSF attacks.

It said "the only country in the world that has imported AH-4 howitzers from China is the UAE" in a 2019 deal, relying on data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.

Amnesty's report came as the RSF pressed its long-range drone attacks on army-held cities.