Watan-With the internal bloody conflict unfolding in Sudan, the UAE’s interventions in supporting crisis parties have caused significant irritation for the Sudanese Armed Forces, escalating tension to the boiling point, according to a report from the analytical news site ‘amwaj.’
The report explains that the crisis in relations is attributed to the military and diplomatic steps taken by both parties, represented by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), the military arm of the UAE in Sudan, led by Hemeti, and the Sudanese Armed Forces led by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan.
Media reports have consistently warned of the danger of the UAE’s intrusion in killing Sudanese citizens as Abu Dhabi seeks influence in Africa, posing a threat to destabilizing the region.
Major Emirati Intervention
Major Emirati Intervention Last month, the Rapid Support Forces, led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as “Hemeti,” seized control of the Jazeera state, known as the “breadbasket” of Sudan. This military success gave Hemeti a significant advantage over the Sudanese Armed Forces, as reported.
In late November 2023, Lieutenant General Yasser al-Atta, Assistant to the Commander-in-Chief of the Sudanese Armed Forces, criticized the UAE’s interventions in Sudan, likening it to a “mafia state” in a speech delivered at a military base. Less than two weeks after the speech, Sudanese authorities declared 15 employees of the UAE embassy in Sudan persona non grata, ordering them to leave the country within 48 hours.
The analytical report by “amwaj,” written by Giorgio Cafiero, confirms that the UAE’s support for the Rapid Support Forces includes continuous and substantial financial, political, and military support, evident even before the onset of the crisis.
The UAE’s Role in Empowering Hemeti
The Emirati support played a crucial role in Hemeti’s achievements on the battlefield, raising questions about the delayed decision by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan to take diplomatic action against the UAE until November 2023, and in a timid manner that does not match the blatant interference in Sudan‘s internal affairs.
However, this delay does not imply a lack of significant tension between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Abu Dhabi administration, which continues to this day to transport weapons and war materials through Chad to Sudan to provide healthcare for injured soldiers.
The UAE’s Role in Empowering Hemeti Hemeti embarked on a tour of six African countries, while the International Governmental Development Authority (IGAD) invited the leader of the Rapid Support Forces to a meeting in the Ugandan capital.
All of this has seriously contributed to legitimizing Hemeti and his quasi-military group from al-Burhan and the Sudanese Armed Forces’ perspective, as mentioned in the report.
The UAE played a significant role in normalizing Hemeti as a Sudanese statesman, similar to its actions in Egypt with the regime of Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.
UAE officials show a preference for military rule in Sudan, leading al-Burhan and his internal circle to believe that strengthening ties with the UAE would be beneficial for their political survival.
Sudanese military officials had previously hinted at UAE support for Hemeti, but recent public criticisms by al-Atta reveal a significant deterioration in the relationship between the two sides.
Will U.S. Displeasure be Enough to Deter Abu Dhabi?
Regarding Washington’s stance, the “amwaj” report mentions that some policymakers in Washington have begun to condemn Abu Dhabi’s support for the Rapid Support Forces, calling on the UAE to cease assistance to Hemeti in the conflict.
On December 19, 2023, ten Democratic lawmakers in Washington sent a letter to UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, urging him to stop supporting the Rapid Support Forces.
American lawmakers expressed concerns about reports indicating that Abu Dhabi provides material support, including weapons and supplies, to the quasi-military force. U.S. legislators emphasized the seriousness of the UAE providing weapons to Hemeti, considering it a violation of the arms embargo imposed by the United Nations on Darfur in 2004, aimed at preventing the supply, sale, or transfer of weapons and related materials to entities in western Sudan.
Many members of the Sudanese Armed Forces hope to see the United States take more decisive actions against Abu Dhabi.
Disappointment Towards Washington
Disappointment Towards Washington According to the report, which provides an analytical reading of the Sudanese war, factions allied with the Sudanese Armed Forces feel disappointed by Washington’s cold reaction to the increasing involvement of the UAE in the conflict.
Sudan’s strategic location along the Red Sea is of utmost importance, serving as a gateway to the rest of Africa through supply chains and international trade routes.
Like other Gulf Cooperation Council member states, the United Arab Emirates has significant economic and food security interests in Sudan, especially with the growing challenges of climate change.
All of this indicates the risks that the United Arab Emirates would take if it severed all ties with the Sudanese Armed Forces. If the Rapid Support Forces fail to gain full control of the country, officers of the Sudanese Armed Forces are likely to continue controlling the Sudanese Red Sea region, where the Emiratis have invested billions of dollars.”