Turkish Companies Involved in Supplying Weapons and Gold from Sudan Despite International Ban
A report published by The Washington Post revealed the involvement of Turkish companies in providing both warring sides in Sudan with weapons and military equipment, while other Turkish firms continue to refine and import Sudanese gold to Turkey despite the international arms trade sanctions imposed on Khartoum.
According to the report, released in March 2025, Turkey plays a dual role in Sudan’s civil war — ongoing for more than two years — by selling weapons to both parties under the guise of “mediation for peace,” while simultaneously importing Sudanese gold through Ahlatçi Holding, a major Turkish conglomerate based in the city of Çorum.
The report noted that Baykar Defense, owned by Selçuk Bayraktar, the son-in-law of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, signed a $120 million deal with the Sudanese army in 2023 to supply eight TB2 drones and hundreds of missiles, despite the ongoing arms embargo on Sudan.
The newspaper stated that Baykar employees were sent to Sudan to oversee drone operations, while another Turkish company known as Arca Defense maintains commercial relations with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemedti), supplying them with military equipment as well, according to documents reviewed by the paper.
In return, Turkish companies have been granted privileges in the trade of gold, copper, and other precious minerals from Sudan. The report said that Ahlatçi Holding transports quantities of Sudanese gold to Turkey for refining and re-export.
Ahlatçi Holding traces its roots back to the 1980s, when it began as a small jewelry business before becoming one of Turkey’s largest companies in gold and energy trading. The firm had previously played a similar role in transporting gold from Venezuela to Turkey in 2019.
The report comes as the war between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), led by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the Rapid Support Forces continues since April 2023, leaving more than 150,000 people dead and displacing over 12 million, according to UN estimates.
