Sudan Military Rejects Allegations of Targeting UAE Diplomatic Post in Khartoum

Sudan’s Military Denies UAE Embassy Bombing in Khartoum, Blames Rival RSF

Sudan’s military government has denied accusations by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) that its forces bombed its ambassador’s residence in Khartoum, pointing instead to the rival paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

An UAE diplomatic post was bombed by a Sudanese military plane on Monday, which the UAE denounced as a “heinous attack”. The UAE has previously charged the Khartoum government, which is in the midst of a fresh effort to recover the capital, of backing the RSF, which has been fighting for more than a year.

The foreign ministry of the Middle Eastern nation issued a statement saying, “The UAE calls on the military to take full responsibility for this cowardly act.”

Describing the attack as a “flagrant violation of the fundamental principle of inviolability of diplomatic premises”, the ministry said the attack had caused extensive damage to the building.

It also said it would send complaints to the League of Arab States, the African Union and the United Nations.

In response, the Sudanese military issued a statement accusing the RSF of carrying out these “shameful and cowardly acts”.

In a clear dig at its adversary, which has been fighting for control of parts of Sudan since April 2023, the military said, “It does not target or replace diplomatic missions, the United Nations or the headquarters of voluntary organizations. Looting military bases and their properties.

“The perpetrators of these heinous and cowardly acts are terrorist, insurgent fighters (RSF) … supported in doing all this by countries known to the world,” the report said. The UAE is allegedly arming and supporting the RSF in a conflict that has claimed tens of thousands of lives and resulted in a dire humanitarian situation, according to the military administration.

Al-Harith Idris al-Harith Mohamed, the Sudanese ambassador to the UN, charged in June that Abu Dhabi was supporting the RSF militarily and financially, calling it “the main reason behind this protracted war”.

The Gulf state dismissed the accusations as “misinformation” and declared that the only thing on its mind was lessening the humanitarian misery that Sudan was experiencing.

However, UN sanctions monitors have described allegations that the UAE provided military support to the RSF as credible.

Nearly 25 million people – half of Sudan’s population – are in need of aid, the UN says.

Fierce clashes have erupted in several parts of the capital in recent days as government forces launch an offensive aimed at retaking Khartoum. For the most part, the RSF has been in firm control of much of the city since the outbreak of war and has been accused of abuses against civilians.