US calls for international action to cut weapons supply to Sudan paramilitaries

November 13, 2025

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has demanded international intervention to halt weapons flowing to Sudan's Rapid Support Forces, a paramilitary group responsible for systematic atrocities in el-Fasher, including mass killings and sexual violence. The RSF captured el-Fasher last month after an 18-month siege, giving them control over all major cities in Darfur, where satellite images reveal evidence of massacres. While Sudan's military accuses the United Arab Emirates of supplying the RSF with arms through African intermediaries—allegations the UAE denies—Rubio avoided directly criticizing Abu Dhabi despite credible evidence of their involvement.

Who is affected

Civilians in el-Fasher and the broader Darfur region, particularly women and children subjected to murder, rape, and sexual violence
Non-Arab groups in Darfur being systematically targeted in what the US and humanitarian groups characterize as genocide
Over 150,000 people killed and approximately 12 million displaced from their homes
Thousands of people in el-Fasher who are feared dead or too malnourished to flee
Sudan's Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and Sudan's army engaged in civil war
International actors including the United States, UAE, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, G7 nations, and the United Kingdom

What action is being taken

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is calling for countries to stop supplying weapons to the RSF
The Trump administration is working with the UAE, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia (the "Quad") to end the war
The G7 foreign ministers are condemning the surging violence in Sudan
The UK government is maintaining strict controls on arms exports to prevent diversion

Why it matters

This conflict represents the world's largest humanitarian crisis according to the G7, with evidence of systematic atrocities amounting to genocide against non-Arab populations in Darfur. The international weapons supply network fueling the RSF, particularly through the UAE, enables the continuation of mass killings, sexual violence, and ethnic cleansing. The RSF's capture of el-Fasher and control of all major Darfur cities demonstrates their military dominance in the region, while the failure of previous ceasefire agreements and the limited UN arms embargo (only covering Darfur since 2004) show the inadequacy of current international responses to stop the violence.

What's next

The Quad nations (US, UAE, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia) have proposed a three-month humanitarian truce, followed by a permanent ceasefire and a nine-month transition to civilian rule, though this proposal has already been breached by the RSF and Sudan's army objects to UAE participation while still considering it. The US has stated it will "do everything we can to bring it to an end" and has encouraged partner nations to join in stopping the conflict.

Read full article from source: BBC