Sudan UN envoy accuses UAE of backing paramilitary forces

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
18 Jun 2024 23:17

The Sudanese military has reported for months that Abu Dhabi is backing the RSF.

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Sudanese soldiers from the Rapid Support Forces unit stand on their vehicle during a military-backed rally, in Mayo district, south of Khartoum, Sudan, Saturday, June 29, 2019. (AP)

Sudan's UN ambassador publicly accused the United Arab Emirates of instigating conflict within Sudan during a Security Council meeting on Tuesday.

Sudan has been embroiled in conflict since April 2023, with the regular military led by army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan clashing with the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), headed by his former deputy, Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemedti).

The Sudanese military has reported for months that Abu Dhabi is backing the RSF. In April, Sudan formally requested an urgent Security Council session to address these allegations, yet it was not convened.

During a routine meeting on Sudan's situation on Tuesday, Ambassador Al-Harith Idriss Al-Harith Mohamed utilized the platform to voice Sudan's concerns.

He said the RSF, "supported with weapons by the Emirates," was "deliberately and systematically targeting the villages and cities."

"The UAE must stay away from Sudan. That is the first requirement that will allow for stability in Sudan -- it must stop its support," he stressed, calling Abu Dhabi's financial and military support for the RSF the "main reason behind this protracted war."

Furthermore, he urged the council to "speak bravely" and openly denounce the Emirati government.

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In a recent resolution, the Security Council urged an end to the RSF's "siege" of el-Fasher in Darfur and called on all UN member states to avoid external interference, emphasizing adherence to Sudan's arms embargo.

A panel of council-appointed experts highlighted violations of this embargo in a January report, pointing to multiple countries, including the UAE, allegedly supplying arms to the RSF.

On his account, the Emirati UN envoy, Mohamed Issa Hamad Mohamed Abushahab, dismissed these accusations from his Sudanese counterpart as "ludicrous" and criticized the use of the council to advocate for the military's position.

"We see this as a shameful abuse by one of the warring parties of Sudan of this council, using this platform to spread false allegations against the UAE, to distract from the grave violations that are happening on the ground," he added.