A major investigation by France 24 has uncovered a troubling arms trafficking route linking European-manufactured ammunition to Sudanese militias, despite a long-standing European Union arms embargo on Sudan.
The five-part series, launched this week, reveals how mortar shells produced in Bulgaria found their way into the hands of armed factions operating in the Darfur region of Sudan.
The investigation begins with footage released in November 2024, showing Sudanese fighters allied with the national army inspecting a captured convoy in the Darfur desert.
In the videos, posted on social media, the fighters display religious paraphernalia and documents taken from the convoy, alongside cylindrical containers marked as containing mortar shells.
A key image from the footage reveals a label reading “BG-RSE-0082-HT” — the “BG” prefix clearly indicating Bulgaria as the country of origin.
The crates also bear an ISPM-15 code, used for wooden packaging in international transport, adding further confirmation of their European manufacture.
Mike Lewis, an expert in conflict weapons, confirmed that the mortar shells shown are consistent with those used frequently in Sudan’s internal conflicts. The shells are marked “81 mm Mortar HE,” signifying high-explosive capabilities.
Additional identifying numbers on the crates led investigators to Dunarit, a Bulgarian arms manufacturer. The specific identifier “46” links the mortars directly to the company.
France 24 matched the shells with images found on Dunarit’s own website and social media channels, confirming the munitions were manufactured in 2019.
When approached by France 24, Dunarit CEO Petar Petrov did not deny the shells’ Bulgarian origin but insisted that all export regulations were strictly followed.
He expressed doubt about the videos’ authenticity, but the investigation established a clear route: the weapons were sold to the International Golden Group, a UAE-based company.
This company, according to multiple arms trade analysts, has a history of transferring weapons to conflict zones, including regions under embargo such as Sudan.
The convoy carrying the mortar shells reportedly traveled through eastern Libya, a territory controlled by UAE-aligned warlord Khalifa Haftar, before crossing into Sudan.
Crucially, the intended recipients were the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a notorious paramilitary group accused of war crimes and ethnic cleansing during the ongoing civil conflict in Sudan.
The transfer of these weapons represents a serious breach of the European Union’s arms embargo on Sudan, which has been in place since 1994. The embargo strictly prohibits the sale, supply, or transfer of any weapons or military equipment to the country.
Bulgaria’s Interministerial Commission on Export Control acknowledged that the weapons were exported, but claimed they were sold to a country not under sanctions and with proper authorization.
Nevertheless, experts argue that exporting weapons to a third country that later diverts them to an embargoed zone still constitutes a violation of EU law.
The France 24 investigation will continue to track the journey of these weapons and delve deeper into the international networks facilitating arms transfers in defiance of global sanctions.