 "Sudan labels UAE 'aggressor state' for alleged support to RSF, cuts ties in major diplomatic fallout")
Sudan’s army-aligned government has announced a dramatic severing of diplomatic ties with the United Arab Emirates, accusing the Gulf state of being an “aggressor state”. Defence Minister Yassin Ibrahim delivered the startling announcement in a televised speech on Tuesday (May 6), stating that Sudan would withdraw its ambassador and shut its embassy and consulate in the UAE.
Ibrahim levelled serious accusations against the UAE, claiming it violated Sudan’s sovereignty through its alleged support of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). These forces have been engaged in a brutal conflict with the Sudanese army since April 2023.
“The entire world has witnessed, for more than two years, the crime of aggression against Sudan’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the safety of its citizens by the UAE, acting through its local proxy, the terrorist RSF militia,” Ibrahim declared. He further alleged that the UAE escalated its involvement by supplying the RSF with "strategic advanced weapons" following the army’s reclaiming of Khartoum in March.
Sudan’s government has consistently accused the UAE of arming the RSF, accusations that Abu Dhabi has vigorously denied. Despite these denials, Ibrahim stated that Sudan would “respond to the aggression by all means necessary to preserve the country’s sovereignty” and ensure the protection of its civilians.
This government’s decision came on the heels of a series of drone strikes on Port Sudan, the country’s de facto capital, which had until recently been largely spared from the violence. These strikes marked the third consecutive day of attacks, heightening tensions in the already war-torn nation.
The ongoing conflict has had devastating consequences, resulting in tens of thousands of deaths and displacing 13 million people. It has also spurred one of the world’s largest displacement and hunger crises. The war has effectively split the nation in two, with the army controlling the north, east, and centre, while the RSF holds sway over much of the western Darfur region and parts of the south.
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