Special to WorldTribune.com

LONDON — China and Russia remain the largest military suppliers to
Sudan and have been fueling the war with the newly-established South Sudan,
a report said.

Amnesty International said the Khartoum regime was using Chinese and
Russian weapons for the offensive against South Sudan as well as in the
western province of Darfour. In a report, the London-based human rights
group said Beijing and Moscow were supplying attack helicopters,
fighter-jets, armored vehicles and rockets.

“Supplies appear to have continued unhindered,” the report, titled
“Sudan: No End to Violence in Darfour,” said.

The report, released in February, said the Khartoum regime has
employed Russian-origin Su-25 fighter-jets and Mi-24 attack helicopters in operations against suspected rebel strongholds in Darfour as well as in South Kordofan, near the border with South Sudan. The Sudanese Air Force was also using the Russian-origin An-24/26 air transport as a bomber throughout 2011.

“Amnesty International has established that the same types of aircraft were also used by SAF [Sudanese Armed Forces] to conduct aerial strikes in Southern Kordofan from June 2011 onwards,” the report said. “Sudan has continued to receive new Mi-24 helicopter gunships in recent years: 36 were delivered by the Russian Federation between 2007 and 2009.”

Several of the Mi-24s have been shot down by rebel forces. Amnesty said
Russia appeared to have replaced the downed helicopters over the last year.

For its part, China was said to have been supplying light ammunition to
the Sudanese military. Amnesty said the Chinese shipments have continued
despite a United Nations arms embargo imposed in 2004.

Amnesty, which cited United Nations data, said it has collected evidence
that Khartoum’s military used large caliber Chinese ammunition in
attacks near the border with South Sudan. The report identified the
munitions as the QLZ87 35 mm grenade launcher and grenades, supplied under a
contract in 2008.

“Batches of 2010-manufactured ammunition, again with Chinese
manufacturing code ‘945,’ have also been observed in Southern Kordofan in
2011,” Amnesty said.

Sudan has also received air-to-ground rockets and combat vehicles from
former republics of the Soviet Union, particularly Belarus and Ukraine.
Amnesty cited the S-5 57 mm rocket and used on the Mi-24 and the BTR-80A
infantry fighting vehicle.

“Recent research by Amnesty International has also found that similar
S-5 and S-8 air-to-ground rockets were used in SAF airstrikes conducted in
Southern Kordofan in July 2011,” Amnesty said.

“Amnesty International has also documented the use of both BTR-80A armored
vehicles and 107 mm multiple-rocket launchers mounted on Land Cruiser-type
vehicles in SAF and SAF/PDF operations in Darfour.”

  Amnesty International, Darfour, Mi-24 attack helicopters, Report: China, Russia still arming Sudan for attacks on Darfour, Southern Kordofan, Su-25 fighter jets, Sudanese Air Force