Sudan cuts ties with UAE over 'support for Port Sudan attacks'
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Sudan severs diplomatic relations with the UAE, accusing Abu Dhabi of backing RSF forces behind attacks on Port Sudan and vital infrastructure.
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Smoke billows after drone strikes by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) targeted the northern port in the Red Sea city of Port Sudan, Sudan, Tuesday, May 6, 2025. (AP)
The Sudanese Defense Council announced on Tuesday that Khartoum will sever diplomatic relations with the United Arab Emirates, accusing Abu Dhabi of backing the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and orchestrating a recent drone assault on Port Sudan.
The decision follows mounting accusations that the UAE had been fueling the RSF with advanced weaponry in an effort to destabilize Sudan, particularly after the group's battlefield setbacks.
In a statement shared by Sudanese Information Minister Khaled al-Aiseer and reported by Reuters, the council declared the UAE a "hostile state" and announced the closure of Sudan's embassy and consulate in the Emirates.
UAE escalating support for RSF
"For over two years, the world has witnessed an act of aggression against Sudan's sovereignty, territorial integrity, and civilian safety by the UAE and its local proxy, the terrorist rebel militia known as the Rapid Support Forces, along with its political backers," the statement read.
It further accused the UAE of escalating support for the RSF with sophisticated strategic weaponry following the group's battlefield defeats.
These arms, the council said, were used to target critical infrastructure across Sudan, including oil and gas depots, the Port Sudan airport, electricity stations, and hotels, endangering the lives of millions of civilians and threatening both regional and Red Sea security.
ICJ declines to hear Sudan case
The move to cut ties came in the wake of a ruling by the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which declined to hear Sudan's case against the UAE over alleged involvement in genocide, citing a lack of jurisdiction.
Sudan's military-led government emphasized that it reserves the right to respond to the attacks "by all means necessary" to defend the country's sovereignty and protect its citizens.
It also praised the resilience of the Sudanese people and the armed forces, vowing to ensure the continued delivery of humanitarian aid.
While the RSF has not officially claimed responsibility for the drone strikes on Port Sudan, the accusation marks a significant escalation in Sudan's diplomatic and military confrontation with foreign actors in its ongoing civil conflict.
Army blames UAE for supplying drones
The RSF has not claimed responsibility for the recent strikes but has increasingly relied on drone warfare since its expulsion from Khartoum in March. The Sudanese army accuses the United Arab Emirates of supplying both basic and advanced drones to the RSF in violation of international law.
In recent weeks, RSF drone attacks have focused on civilian infrastructure in the country’s northeast, triggering large-scale power outages that have affected millions.
On Monday, the International Court of Justice dismissed Sudan’s case against the UAE, which alleged the Gulf state was complicit in genocide through its backing of the RSF. The court cited a 2005 reservation by the UAE under the UN Genocide Convention, stating it had no jurisdiction to hear the case.
Sudan’s Foreign Ministry responded by stating it "respected" the court’s decision, while emphasizing the ruling “cannot legally be interpreted as a denial of the violations, nor does it represent any acquittal of the UAE from its involvement in genocide.”
“The legal battle against those attacking Sudan is not over,” the ministry declared.
