The Sudanese Ambassador to India, Mohammed Abdalla Ali Eltom, has made a serious accusation: the United Arab Emirates is allegedly funneling weapons to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia in Sudan, a group he accuses of killing civilians in Darfur. According to Eltom, these weapons are entering Sudan through Libya and Chad. This isn’t just a local conflict; Eltom frames it as a regional destabilization effort, potentially impacting everything from the Red Sea to Central Africa.
The Ambassador's Claims: A Proxy War?
Eltom’s core argument is that Sudan isn't in a civil war, but rather confronting external conspiracies. He claims the RSF is a proxy for foreign powers, with the UAE playing a key role in supplying arms. These aren't just small arms, either. The RSF is apparently using "strategic drones" capable of long-duration flights, suggesting involvement of state-level armed forces.
Now, let's be clear: accusations are not facts. But if true, this alleged UAE support for the RSF has massive implications. Eltom urges the international community to designate the RSF as a terrorist organization and impose sanctions on all weapons suppliers—a direct call to action against the UAE. He also mentions a UN report citing "mass executions and starvation" in El Fashir after the RSF entered the city. It's a grim picture.
What's missing here? Well, independent confirmation. We're relying on the Sudanese ambassador's account, and understandably, he has a vested interest. Where are the documented weapons shipments? The drone serial numbers? The financial trails? These are the data points that would solidify (or refute) Eltom's claims.
Trade Winds and Troubled Waters
Interestingly, this accusation comes at a time when the UAE and the Philippines are both seeking to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), a 12-nation trade bloc. You might be asking, what does this have to do with the Sudanese conflict? Well, trade deals are about more than just tariffs and quotas. They are about geopolitics, relationships, and projecting an image of stability and cooperation.
If the UAE is indeed arming the RSF, it creates a massive discrepancy between its stated goals of regional stability and its alleged actions on the ground. It’s like a company touting its green initiatives while simultaneously dumping toxic waste into the river. (A rather pointed analogy, if I do say so myself).
I've looked at hundreds of these situations, and this strikes me as unusual. Typically, countries seeking trade agreements try to clean up their act, at least publicly. This alleged behavior seems... counterproductive.
Furthermore, the timeline raises questions. Fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the RSF broke out in April 2023. If the UAE has been supplying weapons since then, why hasn't it been more widely reported? Is this a recent escalation, or has it been happening under the radar for some time? Details on why the decision was made remain scarce, but the impact is clear.
Eltom acknowledges India's humanitarian assistance to Sudan and appreciates India's decision to maintain its embassy (albeit shifted to Port Sudan). He even mentions an Indian national captured by the RSF in El Fashir on October 26. (That’s only about a week ago, by the way). He hopes India can help secure the release of the captured citizen.
What's the play here? Is Eltom trying to leverage India's influence with the UAE to pressure them to stop the alleged arms shipments? Or is he simply highlighting India's positive role in the conflict to contrast it with the UAE's alleged negative one? The communications blackout in El Fashir makes it tough to know the ground truth (and tough on the poor guy being held captive).
Smoke, Mirrors, and Missing Data
The Sudanese ambassador claims the SAF controls 80% of Sudan's territory. But what does "control" mean in this context? Does it mean they have a military presence? Or does it mean they have the support of the local population? These are two very different things. And frankly, the devil is in the details. If the SAF truly controlled 80% of the territory, why are there reports of mass executions and starvation in El Fashir? The numbers don’t quite add up.
Ultimately, we're left with more questions than answers. Is the UAE arming the RSF? Is this destabilizing the region? And what, if anything, can be done to stop it? The answers, as always, lie in the data—data that is currently incomplete and potentially biased. According to the Sudanese Ambassador to India, Mohammed Abdalla Ali Eltom, the UAE is providing weapons to the RSF. UAE supplying weapons to Rapid Support Forces: Sudanese Ambassador to India Eltom
