An international investigation has alleged that the United Arab Emirates played a role in supporting an arms network that has supplied armed groups and transferred advanced Western weapons into conflict zones in Sudan, Libya and Yemen, after Canadian made sniper rifles were found in the possession of militias accused of abuses against civilians.
The investigation, published by Canada’s CBC News, found that XLCR sniper rifles manufactured in Canada had surfaced in regions subject to international arms embargoes or strict restrictions on weapons transfers.
The findings have raised questions about whether Abu Dhabi may have acted as a central link in the transfer of military equipment to groups aligned with it across several regional conflicts.
Canadian Rifles Found Across Multiple Conflict Zones
According to the video investigation, images and footage were verified showing the rifles in the hands of fighters from the Rapid Support Forces in Sudan.
The same weapons also appeared among armed formations in Libya, while examples were reportedly offered for sale online by arms dealers in Yemen.
The findings carry particular significance because Sudan and Libya remain under international arms embargoes, while Yemen has faced years of restrictions related to the proliferation of weapons among the country’s warring factions.
This has prompted questions over how modern weapons moved from official export channels into unstable battlefields.
CBC quoted experts who described the UAE as “the common denominator” across the three cases because of its relationships and alliances with military and political actors in Sudan, Libya and Yemen.
Wolfram Lacher, a researcher specialising in Libyan affairs, said the clearest link between these cases was Emirati support for allied groups involved in these conflicts, noting that Abu Dhabi has repeatedly been associated with controversial arms transfer allegations.
Imadeddin Badi, a researcher at the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime, said groups backed by the UAE in these arenas are classified as non state armed actors, some of which have faced accusations of committing serious violations.
Sudan: Weapon Linked to Alleged Abuse
In Sudan, the investigation documented a video showing a Rapid Support Forces fighter carrying a Canadian made sniper rifle while allegedly assaulting detainees inside a truck.
CBC’s visual investigations team identified the weapon as a Sterling Cross XLCR rifle.
Researchers from the investigative group Bellingcat described the footage as one of the clearest examples linking this category of weapon to potential abuse contexts.
The video was geolocated to the Jabal Moya area south of Khartoum, which witnessed intense fighting after the Rapid Support Forces took control of the region during 2024.
Other footage reviewed by the investigation reportedly showed armed men humiliating detainees and forcing them to perform degrading acts, behaviour that has drawn criticism from human rights organisations.
Yemen: Rifles Appearing on the Open Market
In Yemen, the investigation found the same rifles circulating in the local arms market.
Arms dealers in Sana’a were reportedly promoting them through Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
The investigation documented one dealer conducting a live firing demonstration with the same rifle model near Sana’a.
In an audio recording, the dealer allegedly acknowledged that the weapon entered the country through smuggling networks and was sold for as much as 12,000 US dollars.
Libya: Armed Groups and Human Rights Concerns
In Libya, researchers identified photographs showing the Canadian rifles in the possession of fighters linked to armed groups in Tripoli.
Some of these groups have previously been associated with allegations involving detention facilities and human rights abuses.
Wolfram Lacher said that some of the individuals pictured were linked to the Judicial Security Agency, which split from the Special Deterrence Force, one of the most influential armed groups in western Libya.
Questions Over Canadian Exports
The investigation revealed that Canadian government data showed 113 XLCR sniper rifles were exported to the UAE during 2019 and 2020.
Similar weapons later appeared in the three conflict zones.
The findings sparked pressure inside Canada.
Foreign Minister Anita Anand expressed concern over the possibility that Canadian military equipment had reached active war zones, stating that the transfer of such weapons into environments marked by conflict and abuses is unacceptable.
She said the case could expose weaknesses in Canada’s export licensing system and may require investigations by law enforcement agencies to determine how the weapons reached these destinations.
For its part, Global Affairs Canada reaffirmed Ottawa’s commitment to maintaining the arms embargo on Sudan.
The department stressed that Canada’s military export risk assessment procedures do not permit shipments to prohibited regions.
Calls for Stronger Oversight
Kelsey Gallagher, a researcher at Project Ploughshares, warned that weak oversight of arms exports allows weapons to be diverted into conflict zones.
He argued that the purchase of advanced military systems “does not happen without a reason” and called on the Canadian government to strengthen monitoring mechanisms to prevent exported weapons from being used to fuel wars.
The investigation adds to growing scrutiny over arms transfers in the Middle East and North Africa, particularly where advanced military equipment appears in the hands of non state actors operating in prolonged and devastating conflicts.
