The United Arab Emirates on Monday accused Sudanese forces of bombing its ambassador’s residence in Khartoum.
The attack on the ambassador’s residence in Sudan’s capital caused extensive damage to the building, the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.
Sudan’s military rejected the accusations and instead placed the blame on the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Khartoum claims the militia is backed by the UAE amid Sudan’s civil war that has engulfed the country for the past 17 months.
UAE says ‘heinous attack’
The oil-rich UAE’s foreign ministry said it “strongly condemns the heinous attack by Sudanese military aircraft that targeted the residence of the head of the UAE legation in Khartoum, causing extensive damage to the building,” state news agency WAM reported. I told you. :”
“The UAE called on the military to take full responsibility for this dastardly act,” it said, calling it “a clear violation of the fundamental principle of the inviolability of diplomatic facilities.”
Sudanese forces have been fighting the RSF since April 2023 in a civil war that has killed tens of thousands of people and triggered a dire humanitarian crisis. However, the Sudanese military said in a statement that “the headquarters of the diplomatic mission or the United Nations were not targeted.” We do not turn government institutions or volunteer organizations into military bases or plunder their assets. ”
Instead, it condemned the RSF and alluded to past allegations that the UAE supported the group.
“These heinous and despicable acts are carried out by terrorists and anti-government militias.” [RSF]…All these actions are supported by world-renowned countries. ”
UN says, ‘credible’ evidence of UAE support for RSF
In January, a UN Security Council report found “credible” evidence that the UAE supplied arms to the RSF via Amjaras in northern Chad.
More than 14,000 people have been killed and around 33,000 injured in Sudan, with about 25 million people – half of Sudan’s population – in “destitution”, according to the United Nations.
Large parts of Khartoum have been controlled by the RSF for several months. Sudan’s military recently launched a new offensive to retake the capital.