UN Extends Arms Embargo on Darfur for Another Year

The United Nations Security Council has extended the arms embargo on Sudan's Darfur region for an additional year, a decision aimed at addressing the ongoing violence and human rights abuses in the region.

The sanctions, which have been in place since 2005, were renewed until September 12, 2025, and include a ban on arms transfers as well as individual sanctions such as asset freezes and travel bans currently targeting three individuals.

The decision to extend the sanctions was adopted unanimously by the Council. 

US Deputy Ambassador to the UN, Robert Wood, emphasized the importance of the decision, stating that the people of Darfur continue to face danger and despair.

Wood added that while the sanctions do not apply to the entirety of Sudan, they are crucial in limiting the flow of weapons into Darfur and helping Sudan return to a path of stability and security.

Since April 2023, Sudan has been engulfed in a brutal conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces, led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), commanded by his former deputy, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo.

The ongoing war has claimed tens of thousands of lives and displaced over 10 million people, according to UN estimates.

There are growing concerns that the conflict could escalate into another ethnic war, particularly in Darfur, which experienced a devastating conflict two decades ago. During that time, the Janjaweed militias—later integrated into the RSF—committed widespread atrocities.

Human Rights Watch official Jean-Baptiste Gallopin criticized the Security Council for "missing an opportunity" by not expanding the arms embargo to cover all of Sudan. He called for a broader ban to prevent further escalation of violence.

Despite Sudan's calls for the lifting of UN sanctions, both China and Russia voted in favor of the extension. Chinese Deputy Ambassador Dai Bing remarked that the resolution could "partially limit the continuous flow of illegal arms to the battlefield," though he also noted that sanctions should not replace diplomatic efforts.

In their annual report released in January, experts appointed by the Council to monitor the sanctions regime condemned violations of the arms embargo. They accused several countries of supplying weapons to the RSF.

Sudan's ambassador to the UN, Al-Harith Idris Al-Harith Mohamed, argued that the continued arms embargo disrupts the balance of power in Darfur. He reiterated accusations that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) plays a key role in prolonging the crisis.

Meanwhile, RSF forces have reportedly tightened control around the Zamzam refugee camp in North Darfur, near the regional capital of El Fasher.

According to Sudan Tribune, the RSF has set up checkpoints around the camp, which houses many war victims, blocking critical supplies of food, medicine, and fuel. The camp is now facing a severe humanitarian crisis.