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Sudan war: UAE denies supporting paramilitary RSF

A combination picture of Sudan army head Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and Rapid Support Forces commander Mohamed Hamdan Daglo. (Photos: File/ Ashraf Shazly/ AFP)

By Mwangi Maina | 24 Apr 2024

The UAE says it does not interfere in the internal affairs of other countries and remains committed to a peaceful resolution.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has once again denied supporting and arming the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in its war against the Sudanese army.

The UAE's denial comes after Sudan's representative to the United Nations, Al-Harith Idris, called on the global security body to condemn it for allegedly supplying the RSF with weapons, vehicles and financial support.

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In a letter to the UN Security Council (UNSC) UAE Deputy Foreign minister Lana Nusseibeh called the accusations "baseless" and an attempt to draw attention from the humanitarian crisis caused by the fighting, which entered its second year this May.

"The UAE submitted a letter to the UNSC on April 21, through which the country stressed that the dissemination of disinformation and false narratives after a year of conflict aims to deflect responsibility and undermine international efforts to address the humanitarian crisis in Sudan," Lana said on Monday.

She emphasised that the UAE does not interfere in the internal affairs of other countries and remains committed to a peaceful resolution.

The Sudan Tribune earlier reported that Sudan's Permanent Mission to the UN had called on the UNSC to officially condemn the UAE and force it to immediately cease supporting the RSF.

On March 29, Sudan filed an official complaint against the UAE at the UNSC, accusing it of planning to ignite the war and supporting the RSF with assistance from Chad.

In its letter to the council, the UAE said it "remains committed to continuing to engage with all stakeholders to support any process that aims to set Sudan on a political path to reach a lasting settlement and to achieve a national consensus for forming a civilian-led government."

The RSF, led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, has been engaged in a brutal war against the country's army, headed by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan. The war has left about half of Sudan's 49 million people in need of aid, and more than 7.5 million have fled their homes, according to UN agencies.

Human rights group Amnesty International has urged the UNSC to strengthen its grip on the conflict in Sudan. It has launched a petition demanding the existing arms embargo on Darfur be expanded to encompass the entire nation.

This escalation comes amid accusations that both the Sudanese government and external actors are fueling the violence.

"The situation demands immediate action," Amnesty said. "We urge the UN Security Council to broaden the scope of the arms embargo on Sudan and ensure it's strictly enforced. This will disrupt the flow of weapons and alleviate the immense suffering of civilians caught in the crossfire."