The UN report noted that IL-76 transport aircraft were flying between the UAE and Chad [GIUSEPPE CACACE/AFP via Getty Images]
A United Nations report has exposed the United Arab Emirates as a central actor in the ongoing war in Sudan, documenting a surge in military-linked cargo flights between Emirati airbases and Chad that experts describe as forming a “new regional air bridge” into the conflict zone.
The 14-page report, compiled in November 2023 by five UN experts and submitted to the Sudan Sanctions Committee, details extensive air traffic between Ras Al-Khaimah and Abu Dhabi in the UAE, and the Chadian cities of N’Djamena and Amdjarass – key transit points suspected of facilitating arms smuggling to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
Flights were linked to companies previously involved in military logistics and illicit arms transfers. At least two had already been flagged for violating international arms embargoes, according to The Guardian.
UN experts tracked 24 Ilyushin Il-76TD cargo planes landing in Amdjarass in 2024 alone. They also identified three land routes likely used to move weapons into Sudan, where the RSF has waged a brutal campaign marked by atrocities and ethnic cleansing.
Despite the damning findings, internal technicalities prevented the inclusion of the evidence in the panel’s broader 39-page report. The panel claimed it could not verify the exact cargo contents – yet their own report draws clear connections between flight operators and previous arms violations, casting serious doubt on claims of “non-involvement”.
The UAE has seized on this procedural gap to deflect responsibility. In a statement cited by The Guardian, the Gulf state claimed the panel found “no substantiated evidence” of support for the RSF. But the pattern of activity, the type of aircraft, and the geopolitical alignment paint a different picture – one of systematic, covert backing for a militia accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity.
This is not the first time the UAE has faced such accusations. In December, Reuters reported at least 86 flights from the UAE to Amdjarass since April 2023, likely carrying arms and ammunition. A January 2024 UN document further confirmed that the UAE has been sending weapons to the RSF through Chad. Both reports were denied by Abu Dhabi, but the evidence continues to mount.
Sudan’s government has formally accused the UAE of enabling genocide in Darfur and has taken the case to the International Criminal Court in The Hague. It argues that UAE support has directly empowered the RSF’s campaign of mass killings against the Masalit people.
Tensions with Chad have also risen. In March, Sudan declared that airports in N’Djamena and Amdjarass were legitimate military targets due to their use as conduits for RSF support. The Chadian government responded with outrage, but the accusation highlighted growing regional fallout from Emirati interference.
Further reports have also pointed to the UAE’s use of foreign mercenaries, including ex-Colombian soldiers, to bolster RSF ranks on the battlefield.
The final report by the UN panel is expected in the coming days and coincides with a peace conference hosted in London aimed at ending a war that has already killed tens of thousands and displaced more than 13 million people.
The conference is being co-hosted by Germany, France, the European Union, the African Union, and the UK. Fourteen other countries, including the UAE, are also set to attend – despite its central role in prolonging the conflict.
Neither the Sudanese government nor the RSF were invited to the talks. Khartoum has protested the exclusion, while Germany’s foreign minister claimed both parties showed no willingness to negotiate.
