1 week ago
Pakistan Arms Deal Signals Dangerous New Phase in Sudan War
Sudan is in a serious war involving the army, militias and other armed groups.
A parade in Khartoum showed 100 armoured vehicles made in Pakistan.
The vehicles are called Mohafiz-Vs.
A report says they may be part of a much larger defence deal worth about $1.5 billion.
The possible deal could also include drones, aircraft parts and air-defence equipment.
These weapons might make Sudan’s army stronger in some areas.
That could make the fighting harder to stop.
The report says countries should find out who is paying for and delivering the weapons.
It also says Sudan needs peace efforts instead of becoming a place for outside powers to compete.
A Sudanese Armed Forces parade in Khartoum displayed 100 Pakistani-made Mohafiz-V armoured vehicles.
The reported defence arrangement between Pakistan and Sudan is estimated at approximately $1.5 billion.
Regional reports and intelligence assessments may indicate additional drones, aircraft parts and air-defence systems are included.
The equipment could strengthen the Sudanese Armed Forces and alter the military balance in parts of Sudan.
The report urges greater transparency and warns that foreign military support could prolong the conflict and hinder peace efforts.
- Who
- The Sudanese Armed Forces, Pakistan and other external actors are identified in connection with the reported military arrangement.
- What
- A parade displayed 100 Pakistani-made Mohafiz-V armoured vehicles, amid reports of a broader defence package for Sudan.
- Where
- The vehicles appeared in a Sudanese Armed Forces military parade in Khartoum, Sudan; the equipment is intended for battlefields including Darfur and Kordofan.
- When
- The articles do not provide a specific date for the parade or deliveries.
- Why
- The reported transfers could rebuild the Sudanese Armed Forces’ conventional capabilities, potentially affect the military balance and make diplomatic efforts to end the war more difficult.
Key facts
- Vehicles displayed
- 100 Pakistani-made Mohafiz-V armoured vehicles
- Estimated arrangement
- Approximately $1.5 billion
- Displayed in
- A Sudanese Armed Forces parade in Khartoum
- Possible additional equipment
- Shahpar-2 reconnaissance and attack drones, loitering munitions, K-8 Karakorum aircraft spare parts and Chinese-made air-defence platforms
- Potential impact
- The equipment could reinforce Sudanese Armed Forces capabilities and change the military balance in key areas
- Report’s recommendation
- The United States and partners should seek greater transparency over weapons transfers and their financing
- Conflict setting
- Sudan’s war involves armies, local armed groups, militias and competing external interests
Quotes
Maria Maalouf
Lebanese journalist and author of the cited Capitol Institute report
“For Washington, the question should not simply be what Pakistan is selling Sudan. The more important questions are who is financing it, what else is being delivered, and whether foreign military support is making an already catastrophic war even harder to end,”
thehansindia.com
The Capitol Institute report
The report cited by the article assessing the potential impact of the military package
“If these systems are delivered and operationalised at scale, they could significantly reinforce the Sudanese Armed Forces’ conventional capabilities and potentially change the military balance in key areas of the country. This is not simply an arms sale.”
thehansindia.com
Sources
Related news
Pakistan's Reported Sudan Arms Deal Sparks Baloch, Indian Concerns
US Urges UN Sanctions to Push Sudan Rivals Toward Talks
Pakistan's China-backed western build-up, Saudi-Turkey pact, India's air shield
China, Türkiye Military Airlift to Pakistan Raises Defence Questions
Turkish, Chinese Military Airlift to Pakistan Raises Cargo Questions
