France faces criticism as military gear surfaces in Sudan’s war zone Amnesty International sounds alarms over violation of UN embargo

French-manufactured military equipment has reportedly been used in Sudan, in violation of the United Nations arms embargo on the Darfur region, Amnesty International revealed.

The British-based human rights organization highlighted the presence of armoured personnel carriers (APCs) equipped with Galix self-defence systems, produced by French companies KNDS and Lacroix, Caliber.Az reports citing The Defense Post.

These APCs were supplied by the United Arab Emirates and subsequently identified in Sudan by Amnesty researchers. “Our research shows that weapons designed and manufactured in France are being actively used on the battlefield in Sudan,” said Amnesty International Secretary General Agnès Callamard in an official statement.

The ongoing civil conflict in Sudan, pitting the national army led by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan against the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) commanded by General Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, has intensified significantly in recent weeks. Despite this escalation, the Sudanese conflict remains largely overshadowed by global concerns in Ukraine and the Middle East.

The Galix system, produced by Lacroix, was observed on Nimr Ajban armoured vehicles, which were destroyed in Sudan. Amnesty International provided photographic evidence of these vehicles, showcasing the French-made self-defence technology. Lacroix’s website describes Galix as a system that integrates sensors with launchers capable of deploying smoke bombs, decoys, and other munitions. The system is intended for both defensive and active enemy neutralization, according to the manufacturer.

“Any use of [Galix] in Darfur would be a clear violation of the UN arms embargo,” Callamard stated, urging the French government to immediately cease the export of these systems to the UAE.

The Galix system is reportedly deployed on over 5,000 military vehicles worldwide, including some used by the French military.

When approached for comment, France's General Secretariat for Defence and National Security (SGDSN), the agency overseeing arms exports, told AFP it had not reviewed Amnesty's report and therefore declined to comment.

The UN has enforced an arms embargo in the Darfur region since 2004.

Amnesty International warned that unless France can ensure, through stringent export controls and end-user certifications, that its weaponry will not be re-exported to Sudan, it should refrain from authorizing military exports to countries such as the UAE.

By Tamilla Hasanova