On Tuesday, the UN Security Council Committee on Sudan discussed the possibility of imposing targeted sanctions on individuals who violate international humanitarian law in the country.
South Korean Ambassador Joonkook Hwang, the committee’s chair, highlighted the increasing violence against civilians in Sudan, particularly incidents of sexual and gender-based violence in the Darfur region.
The committee also outlined violations of the arms embargo, international humanitarian and human rights laws, complex financing schemes by armed groups, and ethnically-driven recruitment by warring factions in the region.
Ambassador Hwang emphasized the importance of compliance with embargo measures for both warring parties and member states facilitating arms transfers to Darfur.
The conclusions were drawn from the committee’s annual report for 2023, as well as reports from the Sudan Panel on December 22, 2023, and the third quarterly report on February 23, 2024.
Washington’s alternate representative to the UN, Robert A. Wood, expressed concern over the blatant violations of the UN arms embargo, particularly the high volume and frequency of weapons transfers into Darfur from neighboring countries.
However, Sudanese envoy Ammar Mohammed Mahmoud argued for the removal of restrictions, stating that lifting sanctions would enable the Sudanese government to better protect civilians and allow the Sudanese Armed Forces to effectively address violations by the Rapid Support militias.
The clashes between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces have resulted in a significant number of casualties, with the UN reporting thousands of deaths and injuries over an 11-month period of fighting across Sudan.
