Amnesty International urged the United Nations Security Council on Wednesday to enforce and renew an arms embargo on South Sudan, accusing Uganda of breaching the ban by deploying troops and military equipment to the conflict-stricken country.
The call comes as South Sudan grapples with persistent political instability and armed clashes, particularly between forces loyal to President Salva Kiir and those aligned with First Vice President Riek Machar. A 2018 peace deal formally ended a five-year civil war, but sporadic violence continues.
Fighting in the Upper Nile region raised fresh concerns, prompting Uganda to send troops in March. Uganda’s parliament later confirmed the deployment of the Uganda People’s Defence Force (UPDF), saying it was at Kiir’s request to prevent a “potential security catastrophe.”
But Amnesty said the troop movement and arrival of military equipment violated the U.N. arms embargo, set to expire May 31. The group cited verified footage showing Ugandan troops landing in Juba and armored vehicles, including tanks, crossing the border March 17.
The 2018 embargo bans arms sales and military transfers to South Sudan, with limited exceptions. Amnesty said neither Ugandan nor South Sudanese authorities notified the U.N. Security Council about the deployment, as required.
“While the U.N. arms embargo has not been a panacea, the human rights situation would almost certainly be worse without it,” said Tigere Chagutah, Amnesty’s regional director for East and Southern Africa. “Now is not the time to lift the embargo and add more weapons into the fray.”
Amnesty also raised concerns over South Sudan’s military allegedly using attack helicopters, which were reportedly grounded in 2020 due to spare parts restrictions. Their recent use suggests embargo violations, the group said.
Medical charity Doctors Without Borders said one of its hospitals was hit by helicopter gunfire on 3 May, killing seven people.
Ugandan military officials could not immediately be reached for comment.