UAE suspends Sudan flights as accusations of RSF links continue

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) reportedly suspended flights to and from Sudan as of yesterday morning, a move that comes after the Sudanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs accused the Gulf country of supplying its rival, the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), with foreign mercenaries.

Passengers at Port Sudan International Airport told Radio Dabanga that Sudanese carrier Badr Airlines cancelled its scheduled flight to Dubai early Wednesday morning, informing travellers only after they had arrived at the departure lounge.

Conflicting reports initially emerged regarding the scope of the ban. While some sources indicated it applied to all carriers on the route, others claimed it targeted only Sudanese airlines such as Badr and Tarco.

Sudan’s Civil Aviation Authority (SCAA) later issued a statement, seen by Radio Dabanga, confirming it was “surprised” by the Emirati decision to ban Sudanese carriers from landing.

The suspension further isolates Port Sudan airport; international airlines, including EgyptAir, Ethiopian Airlines, and Turkish Airlines, had already halted flights to the Red Sea city in May following a series of drone strikes.

Emirati plane ‘downed’ in Nyala

In a Sudanese state TV broadcast on Wednesday, the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) claimed it had downed an Emirati plane carrying Colombian mercenaries at Nyala Airport, South Darfur. The broadcast alleged that 40 mercenaries were killed. Radio Dabanga could not independently verify this report, however both SAF and Emirati sources have subsequently denied the claims*.

The flight ban is the latest escalation in a diplomatic feud between Sudan and the UAE. In May, Sudan’s Security and Defence Council announced it was severing diplomatic ties with the UAE, declaring it an “aggressor state”.

Mercenary accusations

On August 4, Sudan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement accusing the “Abu Dhabi Authority” of helping the RSF recruit fighters from Colombia and other countries. The ministry claimed it possessed documents proving the UAE’s involvement and warned that this “dangerous trend” threatens regional security.

A day earlier, the SAF stated that in a recent battle, “[Foreign] mercenaries abandoned their vehicles, weapons, and electronic equipment — along with recorded footage and evidence that not only incriminate them but also expose the extent of the conspiracy and the foreign states backing it,” and published some of the footage.

The UAE has vehemently denied the allegations. In a statement, its ministry of foreign affairs (MoFA) dismissed the claims as “feeble media stunts aimed at diverting attention from the Port Sudan Authority’s direct responsibility for prolonging the civil war”. The MoFA called for an immediate ceasefire and reiterated its commitment to a civilian-led peace process “that is independent of either warring party’s control.”

It also pointed to the International Court of Justice’s dismissal of a previous complaint by Sudan and to the final report of the UN Panel of Experts on Sudan, which it said “presented no findings or evidence against the UAE”.

It is worth noting that days before the UN Panel of Experts released its final report in April, a leaked internal draft obtained by The Guardian revealed details that were reportedly excluded from the final version. According to the outlet, the panel “detected ‘multiple’ flights from the UAE in which transport planes made apparently deliberate attempts to avoid detection as they flew into bases in Chad where arms smuggling across the border into Sudan has been monitored.”

As reported by Dabanga in November 2024, an investigative report by Colombian news site La Silla Vacía alleged that at least 300 Colombian ex-soldiers were fighting in Sudan as part of a cross-border operation spearheaded by the UAE. A Colombian commander was reportedly ‘slain’ in El Fasher earlier this week as the SAF and allied forces repelled an RSF attack on the North Darfur capital.

* This article was updated at 13:00 on Sunday, August 10, to reflect that both the RSF, as well as Emirati sources, have since refuted and denied the SAF claims to have destroyed an aircraft carrying “supplies and mercenaries” in Nyala.