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🇸🇬 Singapore /Conflict & Security

UAE Refers Defendants to State Security Court Over Sudan Ammunition Shipment

From The Straits Times · (14m ago) English Critical tone

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • The UAE has referred 13 individuals and six companies to the State Security Court for allegedly attempting to illicitly transfer ammunition to the Sudanese army.
  • Prosecutors intercepted the shipment, linking procurement to a committee chaired by Sudan's army chief, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan.
  • The case highlights deteriorating UAE-Sudan ties, with Sudan accusing the UAE of arming paramilitary rivals, an accusation the UAE denies, stating its role is humanitarian.

The United Arab Emirates has taken a significant step by referring 13 defendants and six companies to the State Security Court, accusing them of an illicit attempt to move ammunition through UAE territory destined for the Sudanese army. State news agency WAM reported that prosecutors intercepted the shipment before it could be transferred via private aircraft, and crucially, linked the procurement arrangements to a committee reportedly chaired by Sudan's army chief, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan. This development signals a deepening rift between the UAE and Sudan, particularly amid the ongoing civil war.

The defendants face charges including illicit trafficking in military materiel, forgery and use of official documents, and laundering proceeds derived from these crimes.

— WAMDetails the specific charges brought against the accused individuals and companies.

The charges faced by the defendants are serious, including illicit trafficking in military materiel, forgery, and money laundering. WAM's report also mentioned the interception of millions of rounds of ammunition at a UAE airport in 2025, intended for Sudan's army, though the Sudanese Armed Forces had previously dismissed such reports as fabrications. This legal action underscores the UAE's commitment to enforcing its regulations against illegal arms transfers, even when they involve a nation with which it has historically maintained complex relations.

The broader context of this case is the deteriorating relationship between the UAE and Sudan. The Sudanese army has openly accused the UAE of supplying arms to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), its rival paramilitary group in the devastating three-year war. The UAE has consistently and strongly denied these accusations, maintaining that its involvement in Sudan is strictly humanitarian. This denial stands in stark contrast to the allegations now being pursued in the UAE's State Security Court.

The Sudanese Armed Forces rejected the report as a fabrication at the time.

— WAMContrasting the UAE's report of intercepted ammunition with the Sudanese army's previous denial.

The ongoing conflict in Sudan, a power struggle between the army and the RSF, has had catastrophic consequences, displacing 14 million people and causing tens of thousands of deaths. While fighting continues along key frontlines, the legal proceedings in the UAE add another layer of complexity to the regional dynamics, highlighting international efforts to curb illicit arms flows amid a brutal internal conflict.

The UAE has strongly denied supplying arms to the RSF, emphasizing that its role is strictly humanitarian.

— WAMStating the UAE's official position regarding accusations of supplying arms to the RSF.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by The Straits Times in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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