Sudan has accused the United Arab Emirates (UAE) of worsening the country’s ongoing civil war through alleged support for the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), amid growing international scrutiny of foreign involvement in the conflict.
The accusation comes as Sudan’s war, which began in April 2023 after a power struggle between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the RSF, continues to cause widespread displacement and destruction. A recent United Nations fact-finding report said foreign fighters, weapons and logistical networks are helping sustain the conflict.
According to the UN investigation, there are reasonable grounds to believe that individuals and entities operating from countries including the UAE facilitated weapons, equipment, training, logistics and foreign personnel for the RSF. The report also documented the involvement of foreign fighters in RSF operations.
The UN mission said up to 2,000 former Colombian military contractors were deployed alongside RSF units in Darfur and Kordofan, while witnesses reported fighters from Ethiopia, South Sudan and Chad among RSF forces.
The UAE has repeatedly rejected accusations that it provides military, financial or logistical support to the RSF. Its diplomatic mission in Geneva has maintained that it remains committed to dialogue with the UN fact-finding mission.
The allegations are significant because external assistance has become an increasingly important factor in Sudan’s conflict. The UN said foreign support has strengthened the military capabilities of both warring sides, including their use of drones, increasing their ability to strike targets far from front lines.
The conflict has also created a severe humanitarian crisis, with more than 14 million people displaced since fighting began, according to a recent Reuters report citing the UN mission. More than 1,000 people were reportedly killed in drone strikes during the first five months of 2026.
Sudan’s latest accusation comes as international efforts continue to address the war and restrict weapons and other forms of external support. The UN has urged countries to halt illicit supply networks and strengthen enforcement of the arms embargo covering Darfur.
