WASHINGTON (BN24)— U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has called on the international community to halt the flow of weapons to Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), the paramilitary group accused of systematic killings and sexual violence in Darfur’s el-Fasher.
Speaking at the conclusion of a G7 foreign ministers meeting in Canada, Rubio described the RSF’s actions as “horrifying atrocities” targeting women, children, and civilians. He stressed that international support for the paramilitary group, whether through direct arms shipments or allowing their transit through third-party territories, must stop immediately.
The RSF, which has been fighting Sudan’s army since a leadership clash erupted into civil war in April 2023, seized el-Fasher last month after an 18-month siege. Satellite imagery and humanitarian reports show piles of bodies and blood-stained streets, with only a small fraction of the population managing to flee. Non-Arab communities in Darfur are reportedly being targeted in what the U.S. and human rights organizations have described as genocide.
Rubio did not directly criticize the United Arab Emirates, despite evidence from international media and UN sources that the Gulf state has supplied weapons and mercenaries to the RSF via African transit routes. Instead, he emphasized the need for multilateral cooperation, citing the “Quad”, the UAE, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the U.S. which is pursuing a humanitarian ceasefire and a transition to civilian rule in Sudan.
“The RSF is committing acts of sexual violence and atrocities against innocent civilians of the most horrific kind. And it needs to end immediately,” Rubio said, while noting the paramilitary group’s reliance on outside arms support due to its lack of domestic manufacturing.
Despite a recent U.S.-backed proposal for a humanitarian truce, the RSF violated the agreement after capturing el-Fasher. Sudan’s army has criticized the UAE’s involvement but indicated it would consider the proposed three-month truce followed by a nine-month transition to civilian governance.
The G7 statement accompanying Rubio’s remarks condemned the escalating violence, describing the ongoing civil war as “the world’s largest humanitarian crisis.” The conflict has already claimed more than 150,000 lives and displaced roughly 12 million people.
International investigations have traced weapons used by the RSF to Serbia, Russia, China, Turkey, Yemen, and the UAE, often smuggled through Chad into Darfur. The UAE is also accused of facilitating illicit gold sales by the RSF. Rubio stressed that multiple countries are involved in the arms flow and warned that international cooperation is essential to stop it.
While both the RSF and Sudanese army deny allegations of external support, reports of arms diversion have also prompted scrutiny of European suppliers, including the United Kingdom. Human rights advocates have called for extending the UN arms embargo on Darfur to cover the rest of Sudan, a measure that has not yet been adopted.
