UAE foils attempt to transfer weapons to Sudanese army

UAE Intercepts Sudan-Bound Weapons Shipment Amid Rising Tensions

ABU DHABI / KHARTOUM — The United Arab Emirates (UAE) announced on Wednesday that it had intercepted an illegal attempt to transfer a large consignment of military equipment intended for the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), a move that further complicates its already tense relationship with Sudan.

The interception occurred as part of a wider investigation that led to the arrest of individuals involved in arms trafficking and unauthorized military mediation. UAE Attorney General Hamad Saif Al Shamsi confirmed the development via the state-run WAM news agency, stating that the operation prevented the transfer of a significant cache of weapons following a sting operation involving a private aircraft.

Details of the Arms Operation
Authorities discovered nearly five million rounds of machine gun ammunition aboard the aircraft. Additional weapons — including Kalashnikov rifles, grenades, and other combat gear — were reportedly part of a multimillion-dollar deal. The transaction, according to investigators, had been sanctioned by Sudanese military leaders, including General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and his deputy Yasser Al-Atta.

The UAE’s findings also linked the operation to high-profile Sudanese figures: former intelligence chief Salah Gosh, a former adviser to the Sudanese finance ministry, and businessmen with ties to the SAF. The operation reportedly generated $2.6 million in profits for the group involved.

Some proceeds from the arms deal were confiscated from suspects’ hotel rooms, while several companies — including one under U.S. sanctions and tied to a Sudanese-Ukrainian businessman operating in the UAE — were named as facilitators.

Sudan’s Response and Rising Legal Pressure

The Sudanese army has strongly rejected the UAE’s allegations. As a sovereign state, Sudan has no need to smuggle weapons, according to Army spokesperson Nabil Abdallah, who attacked the claim as unfounded and accused the UAE of aiding the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

This charge is indicative of a larger legal and political conflict. The timing of the UAE’s announcement is significant, coming just before the International Court of Justice is set to rule on a case filed by Khartoum, alleging that the UAE is complicit in genocide by aiding the RSF — its main opponent in a brutal two-year internal conflict.

Both factions — the RSF and the Sudanese army — have been implicated in war crimes during the civil war that has already resulted in tens of thousands of deaths and displaced over 13 million people.

International Scrutiny Grows

Earlier in April, a Bulgarian arms manufacturer admitted that some of its ammunition found in Sudan had been originally shipped to the UAE, raising concerns about indirect support to the RSF. The UAE has previously assured the U.S. that it would cease supplying arms to Sudanese paramilitaries — a promise American lawmakers claim has been broken.

In response to growing international pressure, the UAE has now positioned this arms smuggling revelation as part of its efforts to enforce its own laws and demonstrate a commitment to neutrality in the Sudanese conflict.

Attorney General Shamsi emphasized that the matter constitutes a serious breach of national security and confirmed that those involved will face expedited judicial proceedings.