The UN Security Council has extended sanctions on Sudan’s Darfur region for two months after Russia and China opposed a US proposal to impose a nationwide arms embargo, Al Jazeera reported.
All 15 council members approved the resolution extending the existing sanctions until December 11 and their monitoring panel’s mandate until January 11, 2027, to allow further negotiations.
Washington sought a nationwide arms embargo, arguing that the Darfur-only restrictions no longer reflect the war’s reach.
Russia and China opposed, while Sudan said a broader embargo would undermine its right to self-defense.
Under Resolution 1591, the sanctions framework includes arms restrictions on parties to the conflict in Darfur, alongside travel bans and asset freezes targeting designated individuals and entities.
Now in its fourth year, the war between Sudan’s army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) extends far beyond Darfur, with the army controlling central and eastern Sudan and the RSF holding Darfur and parts of the south.
The conflict has killed an estimated 150,000 people, displaced over 13 million, and driven a deepening humanitarian crisis, pushing communities into famine in parts of Sudan.
Foreign Support Fuels Sudan’s War
The UN Security Council decision follows findings published last month by UN investigators that foreign companies and recruitment networks are helping supply Sudan’s warring parties with weapons, drones, training, and military personnel.
These networks also support deliveries of ammunition, military technology, and logistical supplies, sustaining the forces fighting across the country.
Foreign-supplied drones have been used in attacks that harmed civilians and damaged homes, hospitals, schools, markets, and shelters.
The UN has warned that some attacks may amount to war crimes.
