Last month, Sudan filed a case against the United Arab Emirates (UAE) at the World Court for allegedly arming the RSF. This militant group has directed attacks on Sudanese civilians, conquering villages using physical and sexual violence.
Sudan’s acting minister, Muawia Osman, has told the court, “A genocide is being committed against the ethnic group of the Masalit in the west of our country.” The UAE has repeatedly denied Sudan’s claims of its intervention in the matter, calling all claims of aid “baseless and politically driven.” However, they have stated that they support either side of the Sudanese civil war, and that there is no tangible evidence to support Sudan’s claims.
Ever since the January attacks on the Masalit people, the UN has found the RSF guilty of genocide. Additionally, a UN panel of experts has found evidence of the UAE’s supplying of arms to the group, amidst the nation’s numerous denials. The UAE has accused Sudan of slandering its name as a “cynical PR stunt,” as well as weaponizing the International Court of Justice for disinformation. The conflict has persisted for over two years, affecting roughly 25 million people all over the region. Catastrophic food shortages have spread to five additional areas within the country.
Alongside the UAE, Sudan’s adjacent country, Chad, has been accused of supplying the RSF with arms as well. The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) have recently made threats against their neighboring countries, Chad and South Sudan. SAF Deputy Commander in Chief General Yasir al-Atta has stated that Chad’s airports in Amdjarass and N’Djamena were legitimate targets for Sudan’s national army. Furthermore, the SAF Accuses Chad of serving as a logistical hub and siding with the UAE to supply weapons and military equipment to the RSF. In response to such claims, Chad’s Foreign Affairs Ministry proclaimed its readiness to react, knowing that at any moment, its country might have the burden of war extended to it. They have perceived Sudan’s remarks on their alleged aid to the RSF as a declaration of war.Sudan has requested that the judges of the Court rule that the UAE should be prohibited from supplying the RSF, and the UAE should report back to the court on how they will go about implementing this policy. It should be known in a matter of weeks if the court will decide that they have the power to act on Sudan’s request for it to issue this measure. The fate of Sudan lies in the hands of the international court, and the outcome of this regional conflict is yet to be within reach.
Written by Alexandra Kwitkowski
