A ready flow of weapons from China, Sudan and Ukraine has fueled violence by both the South Sudanese Armed Forces and armed opposition groups in South Sudan's Unity State in 2010 and 2011, Amnesty International said on Thursday.

The human rights watchdog has documented serious human rights violations, committed by all sides using an array of weapons including Ukrainian-supplied T-72M1 main battle tanks (MBTs), Chinese-made rifles and anti-vehicle mines, and Sudanese-made mortar shells.

“The clandestine delivery of [T-72] main battle tanks from Ukraine to South Sudan in 2009, involved transfers via Kenya and Uganda,” Amnesty International said in a new report published just days ahead of a crucial UN meeting on an Arms Trade Treaty.

“Scores of people have been killed or injured, had their homes destroyed, or have been forced to flee due to indiscriminate attacks on civilian areas by the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) and the South Sudan Liberation Army (SSLA)” the report said.

Amnesty International has called for a strong and robust treaty with rules to end irresponsible arms transfers to those likely to use them for serious violations of human rights and war crimes.

"Governments must immediately stop supplying South Sudan with conventional arms which have been used to commit violations of international humanitarian and human rights law until adequate systems of training and accountability are in place," said Erwin van der Borght, Amnesty International's Africa Director.