A research organization called Conflict Armament Research yesterday published a report saying that the Séléka rebel coalition in the Central African Republic received Sudanese-made weapons and equipment and Chinese-made ammunition transferred through Sudan.
The Séléka was a coalition of mainly Muslim ethnic armed groups in Central Africa supported by fighteres and weapons brought from neighboring Chad and Sudan. They captured the capital Bangui in 2013 but their leader stepped down as president in January 2014. They still control parts of the country.
According to Conflict Armament Research, which carried out field work in Central African in April and September 2014, the majority of all recently manufactured weapons and ammunition used by all parties to the conflict in Central Africa come from China and Sudan.
After examining weapons stockpiles formerly held by Séléka forces, the researchers found that they include 2013-manufactured Sudanese small arms ammunition, and Sudanese-made light tactical vehicles of a kind first seen publicly in 2013, which have not been documented in previous armed conflicts.
“These findings support well-documented reports of arms supplies from Sudan after Séléka’s
seizure of power in March 2013. Former Séléka arms stocks also include Iranian-manufactured ammunition re-packaged in Sudan,” reads the report.