The UN political chief does not mention the countries that supply weapons to the army and paramilitary forces, saying it is “unconscionable.”

The United Nations has said continued arms supplies to Sudan’s warring military and paramilitary forces are “enabling killing” and must stop, with civilians bearing the brunt of the conflict.

Both the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) are intensifying their military operations and recruiting new fighters buoyed by “considerable” external support and a steady flow of weapons, said Rosemary DiCarlo, deputy secretary-general. of the UN for political and peacebuilding affairs.

“To put it bluntly, certain so-called allies of the parties are allowing the massacre in Sudan,” he told the UN Security Council (UNSC) on Tuesday night, without naming any of the countries or parties sending weapons. .

“This is inconceivable. “It is illegal and it must end.”

Sudan descended 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.

The UN says the war has killed more than 24,000 people and created a humanitarian crisis that has displaced 11 million people. Of them, almost three million people have fled to neighboring countries, in the worst displacement crisis in the world.

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

DiCarlo said it is time for the warring rival parties to come to the negotiating table, but added that they seem convinced they can win on the battlefield, something that is fueled by outside support.

Both the SAF and RSF believe they can win the war in #Sudanintensifying operations, recruiting new fighters and intensifying attacks.
Some of their outside sponsors, who provide weapons and other support, are enabling the killing. This must stop.

– Romero A. DiCarlo (@DicarloRosemary) November 13, 2024

Sudan’s government 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 the Russian mercenary group Wagner.

UN experts said in a report earlier this year that the RSF has received support from allied Arab communities, with military supply lines running through neighboring Chad, Libya and South Sudan.

Al-Burhan, the army chief who led the military takeover of Sudan in 2021, is a close ally of neighboring Egypt and its president, former army chief Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi. Sudanese Foreign Minister Hussein Awad Ali held talks in Tehran in February, sparking speculation that Iran could be preparing to send drones to government forces. Iran has not reported any arms shipments to Sudan.

This comes as the UN Security Council is discussing a resolution proposed by the United Kingdom that calls on Sudan’s warring parties to immediately cease hostilities and asks them to allow unimpeded deliveries of humanitarian aid while more than half of The country’s population of 50 million faces severe food shortages.

As Sudanese authorities’ three-month approval for the UN and aid groups to use the Adre border with Chad to deliver supplies to Darfur is set to expire in mid-November, the draft also calls for the crossing to remain open.