Reuters uncovers UAE flights fueling Sudan’s ongoing civil war
UAE Flights Allegedly Fueling Sudan’s Civil War with Weapons Supply
Reuters has uncovered new evidence suggesting that the UAE has been facilitating the transport of weapons and military supplies to Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), thereby intensifying the ongoing civil conflict in the country.
According to the investigation, flight data and satellite imagery show that since the civil war erupted in Sudan in April 2023, numerous cargo flights from the UAE have been landing at a small airstrip in Chad, which UN experts and diplomats suspect is being used to transfer military supplies across the border into Sudan.
The report highlights at least 86 UAE-based flights arriving at the Am Jaras airstrip in eastern Chad. A significant portion of these flights were operated by airlines previously linked to transporting arms from the UAE to Libya, as per United Nations reports.
Despite these revelations, the UAE, a prominent Middle Eastern ally of the West, maintains that it is sending only humanitarian aid to Sudan via Chad, rather than weapons.
The UAE has dismissed claims made in a January 2023 United Nations expert report that presented “credible” evidence of military supplies being sent to the RSF. The report indicated that these supplies have fueled the ongoing violence between the RSF and the Sudanese army, a conflict that has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths and displaced millions.
In a video obtained by Reuters earlier this year at the Am Jaras airstrip, wooden platforms were seen stacked with boxes that appeared to be military supplies. Some boxes bore the UAE flag, and Reuters withheld the footage’s exact date and source to mitigate any risk of retaliation.
Experts in arms trafficking, two of whom have worked as UN investigators, analyzed the footage and concluded that the boxes likely contained arms or ammunition, not humanitarian aid. These experts noted that the boxes were metal and stacked in low piles, a stark contrast to the typical cardboard packaging used for humanitarian supplies.
One anonymous expert further emphasized that the design and color of the boxes strongly suggested they were munitions.
The UAE’s actions align with its broader strategy of engaging in Middle Eastern and North African conflicts, including in Yemen and Libya, where it has sought to counter Islamist groups such as the Muslim Brotherhood, which it perceives as a threat to regional stability.
General Omar Hamdan, a senior RSF officer, has denied any foreign support for his forces, while Sudanese Army spokesman Brigadier General Nabil Abdullah firmly stated that the UAE’s military support to the RSF was “not a claim, but a proven fact.” He added that evidence of UAE-supplied weapons had been found in RSF-controlled areas.
The conflict between the RSF and the Sudanese army began in April 2023 when the two factions, which had jointly seized power in a 2021 coup, clashed over power and the transition to civilian rule. The RSF quickly took control of large parts of Khartoum and later spread to Darfur and southern regions near the Chad border.
The RSF’s roots lie in the Janjaweed militias, which were used by the Sudanese government to violently suppress rebellions in Darfur during the early 2000s.
As Justin Lynch, a senior analyst at the Sudan Conflict Observatory, noted, “Logistics play a crucial role in the success of armed factions, and the UAE has ensured that weapons reach the RSF continuously.” He also highlighted that the UAE’s military shipments have altered the balance of power in Sudan, prolonging the conflict and increasing civilian casualties.
The UAE insists that its operations in Am Jaras are humanitarian in nature, including the establishment of a field hospital where the Emirati Red Crescent has treated over 18,000 Sudanese refugees. However, Thomaso Della Longa, spokesperson for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, clarified that the federation had no involvement in the operations at Am Jaras and was unaware of the hospital until it was publicized by UAE officials.
A source familiar with the situation in Chad confirmed that UAE military supplies were being transferred to Sudanese fighters via Chad’s border. The source, who requested anonymity for safety reasons, stated that they had guarded these supplies to the Sudanese border, where RSF fighters took control of them.
Additionally, three aid workers with direct knowledge of the situation in eastern Chad confirmed that the scale of UAE’s humanitarian deliveries was far smaller than what the UAE claimed.
Reports suggest that the UAE reversed its previous denials of supporting the RSF after being presented with intelligence gathered by the U.S. during high-level meetings in Washington this fall. The U.S. State Department has expressed concerns about the risks posed by foreign support for Sudan’s warring factions, as it could prolong the conflict.
Earlier this year, the New York Times published a report claiming the UAE had used humanitarian aid shipments as a cover for transporting weapons, drones, and ammunition to the RSF. The report was based on satellite images and testimonies from current and former U.S., European, and African officials.
Reuters tracked a total of 170 flights from UAE-based airlines to Am Jaras since the war began, with 86 of these flights confirmed to have originated from airports in the UAE, including Al Ain, Abu Dhabi, and Ras Al Khaimah. The investigation also revealed that nearly half of the flights were operated by four airlines previously accused by the UN of supplying military aid to Libyan commander Khalifa Haftar in 2019 and 2020.
Furthermore, these flights made brief stops in Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, and Somaliland, where military equipment was reportedly offloaded.
Despite these findings, the UAE continues to deny any involvement in the conflict, consistently defending its claims of providing only humanitarian assistance to Sudan and Chad.
Earlier this year, the New York Times published a report claiming the UAE had used humanitarian aid shipments as a cover for transporting weapons, drones, and ammunition to the RSF. The report was based on satellite images and testimonies from current and former U.S., European, and African officials.
Reuters tracked a total of 170 flights from UAE-based airlines to Am Jaras since the war began, with 86 of these flights confirmed to have originated from airports in the UAE, including Al Ain, Abu Dhabi, and Ras Al Khaimah. The investigation also revealed that nearly half of the flights were operated by four airlines previously accused by the UN of supplying military aid to Libyan commander Khalifa Haftar in 2019 and 2020.
Furthermore, these flights made brief stops in Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, and Somaliland, where military equipment was reportedly offloaded.
Despite these findings, the UAE continues to deny any involvement in the conflict, consistently defending its claims of providing only humanitarian assistance to Sudan and Chad.
