"UN-Banned North Korean Weapons Seem to Be Used in Sudan Warlord Clashes"

by Kim Daehyun

Published 30 Apr.2023 21:35(KST)

There is a possibility that North Korean weapons were used during the clashes between Sudanese militias.

On the 25th (local time), a residential area in Khartoum, Sudan, where clashes between government forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) continue, was destroyed. Since the 15th, the bloodshed between the government forces led by General Abdel Fattah Burhan and the RSF led by General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo has been ongoing, causing significant damage. [Image source=Yonhap News]

According to a report by the U.S. North Korea-focused media NK News on the 28th (local time), military blogger 'War Noir' posted a video on Twitter the day before, stating that the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) revealed weapons seized from the Sudanese government forces.

The Sudanese government forces and the paramilitary organization RSF have been engaged in violent conflict since simultaneous nationwide clashes began on the 15th. The video released by 'War Noir' shows what appears to be an RSF soldier introducing several weapons at a location that looks like a military base.

The blogger explained, "Notable in the video are multiple rocket launchers (MRLs)," describing them as "three North Korean 122mm BM-11s and at least one Chinese 302mm Weishi WS-1B."

Just Olijmans and Stijn Mitzer from the Dutch military intelligence site Oryx analyzed, "Sudan uses North Korean AGP-250 glide bombs as aerial bombs and employs North Korean 122mm BM-11 multiple rocket launchers and 122mm guided rockets," adding, "There is a possibility that North Korean weapons are being used in this conflict."

NK News pointed out that "the effectiveness of sanctions on North Korea's weapons industry is being questioned."

Previously, the United Nations stated that arms transactions between North Korea and Sudan had been detected multiple times over the past several years. The 2017 report by the UN Security Council's Panel of Experts on North Korea sanctions included information that North Korea's Chosun Mining Development Trading Corporation (KOMID) sold numerous weapons to Sudan in 2013. However, Sudan has repeatedly denied such transactions, claiming that it completely ceased all arms cooperation with North Korea between 2016 and 2018.