UK (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Britain faces calls to halt arms exports to the UAE after UK-made weapons were found with Sudan’s RSF, accused of killing civilians in Darfur.
As reported by The Telegraph, the UK faces pressure to suspend weapons exports to the UAE after reports showed British military equipment in the hands of Sudanese forces accused of genocide in Darfur.
At least 2,000 civilians have been killed by the Rapid Support Forces in El Fasher, with satellite images showing pools of blood and corpses.
According to reports from Sudan’s army submitted to the UN Security Council, the UAE has supplied the RSF with British targeting systems and military vehicle engines.
What did Babikir Elamin say about UAE arms and the RSF?
Babikir Elamin, Sudan’s ambassador to the UK, stated that UAE support has been the single most important factor prolonging this genocide.
He urged global powers to pressure the UAE to halt arms supplies to the RSF, a group that evolved from the Janjaweed militia behind Darfur’s ethnic cleansing.
Citing the UN report, he urged Britain to investigate claims that its weapons are being deployed by the RSF in a new wave of atrocities.
He said the UK has a national interest in halting arms, warning the ongoing “genocide” could push civilians to seek refuge in Britain.
Mr Elamin added,
“What the RSF is doing is depopulating Darfur, so they can bring in new settlers from what they call Arab communities. That means the natives of Darfur, who run into the millions, will be displaced, either internally or becoming refugees.”
When asked about the impact of UK-UAE economic ties, he said he hoped it was not the case.
What did Monica Harding say about Sudan’s humanitarian crisis?
Monica Harding MP, Liberal Democrat spokesman for international development, stated,
“The civil war in Sudan is the biggest humanitarian crisis in the world. Millions are on the brink of starvation and experiencing unimaginable suffering.”
She added,
“The possibility that British military equipment is contributing to the horrors occurring there, and aiding the carnage caused by the RSF, is horrific. The UK must cease all arms sales to the UAE immediately until we can confirm, without a doubt, that no British weapons are going via the UAE to the RSF.”
What did Yvette Cooper say on UK arms sales to the UAE?
During a parliamentary session on Tuesday, 28 October, Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper faced questions on whether Britain would suspend arms exports to the UAE amid concerns that they could reach the RSF.
She avoided a direct answer, insisting that Britain has “extremely strict controls” on arms exports and “will continue to take that immensely seriously.”
Responding to Parliament, Ms Cooper called on nations with regional influence to rein in the RSF and Sudanese forces and protect civilians.
A Foreign Office spokesman stated,
“The UK has one of the most robust and transparent export control regimes in the world. All export licences are assessed for the risk of diversion to an undesirable end user. We expect all countries to comply with their obligations under existing sanctions regimes.”
What did Mike Lewis say about UK arms exports?
Mike Lewis, a researcher and former member of the UN panel of experts on Sudan, stated,
“UK and treaty law straightforwardly obliges the government not to authorise arms exports where there is a clear risk of diversion – or use in international crimes.”
He said,
“Security council investigators have documented in detail the UAE’s decade-long history of diverting arms to embargoed countries and to forces violating international humanitarian law.”
Mr Lewis added,
“Lewis added: “Even before this further information about British-made equipment in Sudan, these licences should not have been issued, any more than to other governments responsible for arming the Sudan conflict.”
What did Abdallah Idriss Abugarda say about UK arms in Sudan?
The chair of the Darfur Diaspora Association in Britain, Abdallah Idriss Abugarda, called for an investigation into the issue affecting Sudanese from Darfur.
He added,
“The international community, including the UK, must urgently investigate how this transfer occurred and ensure that no British technology or weaponry contributes to the suffering of innocent Sudanese civilians. Accountability and strict end use monitoring are essential to prevent further complicity in these grave crimes.”
What did Sam Perlo-Freeman say about UK arms to the UAE?
Sam Perlo-Freeman, a research co-ordinator at the Campaign Against Arms Trade,
“The government has been pretty irresponsible in failing to take a more careful look at what it’s been exporting to the UAE, given the UAE’s known record of diversion.”
He added,
“It’s very hard to say what might have been used in support of UAE operation in Sudan and their support for the RSF, but… UK has been very, very free in issuing export licences to the UAE, in spite of the UAE role in the genocide.”
How did RSF atrocities unfold as El Fasher fell after an 18-month siege?
Videos revealed RSF fighters executing civilians at close range, including men shot in the back after being told to flee.
Footage inside the Saudi Maternity Hospital showed RSF fighters shooting a wounded man, with the WHO reporting as many as 460 civilians among patients and staff.
After an 18-month siege, RSF forces stormed El Fasher, raising claims that the international community allowed “another Srebrenica.”
Since 2019, Britain has exported over £1bn in arms to the UAE, official data shows.
According to US intelligence, the RSF received Chinese drones, heavy artillery, small arms, mortars, and armoured vehicles from the UAE.
Insiders said the Gulf nation, which denies arming rebels, aims to establish a foothold in Sudan for its strategic resources and coastline.
The Sudanese government submitted two reports to the UN Security Council, showing images of military equipment in cleared rebel positions.
According to reports, the documents show Militec targeting systems and British-made engines used in UAE vehicles, reportedly recovered from RSF positions.
How many UK arms licences were issued to the UAE since 2023?
UK authorities have denied export licences to the UAE, citing legal obligations to block arms from falling into the wrong hands.
Britain has issued 132 standard export licences to the UAE since Sudan’s civil war began in 2023, worth £249m, including £66m in military electronics and £29.5m in radar and targeting equipment.
Last December, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer visited the UAE to promote investment and economic growth, while Labour officials have avoided confronting the Gulf nation’s role in Sudan’s devastating conflict.
How many have died in the Sudan war since April 2023?
The war between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces began on 15 April 2023.
The conflict has killed more than 150,000 people. Some estimates are significantly higher, with one report noting that over 522,000 children have died from malnutrition alone.
Reports have emerged that British-made arms are being used by Sudan’s RSF.
