French weapons used in Sudanese conflict – Amnesty

French-manufactured military technology incorporated into armoured personnel carriers (APCs) made by the UAE is being used on the battlefield in Sudan in what likely constitutes a violation of the UN arms embargo on Darfur, Amnesty International has noted. It identified armoured personnel carriers in various parts of Sudan made in the UAE. New research has revealed that these APCs, which are in use by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), include sophisticated French-designed and manufactured reactive defence systems. The Nimr Ajban APCs are manufactured in the UAE by the Edge Group, and equipped with the French Galix System. In pictures shared on social media and verified by Amnesty International, several Nimr Ajban APCs destroyed or captured by the Sudanese Armed Forces have the Galix System visible.The Galix System – made by Lacroix Defense and jointly designed with Nexter (now KNDS France) – is a defence system for land forces that releases decoys, smoke and projectiles to counter close-range threats. Lacroix Defense advertises that the Galix System ‘hides fighting vehicles from an approaching threat and protects the vehicles, main battle tanks and APCs’. All countries must immediately cease direct and indirect supplies of all arms and ammunition to the warring parties in Sudan, said Agnès Callamard, secretary-general of Amnesty International.

Amnesty International statement