Tensions between Sudan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have intensified, with the Sudanese military announcing it has downed a UAE aircraft at Nyala airport in the Darfur region. According to the army, the plane had arrived from the Gulf and was transporting Colombian mercenaries along with military supplies allegedly destined for the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary faction currently in control of the area.
The Sudanese government has repeatedly accused the UAE of funneling sophisticated weapons to the RSF via Nyala airport—a group it has been engaged in a brutal conflict with since April 2023.
Allegations of foreign fighters, including Colombians, operating in Darfur have circulated since late 2024 and were later corroborated by United Nations experts.
In May, Sudan severed diplomatic relations with the UAE, following persistent claims of Emirati support for the RSF—allegations that the UAE has consistently denied.
Amid the ongoing feud, Sudanese officials report that the UAE has responded by restricting Sudanese aviation activity. The Sudanese Civil Aviation Authority stated on Wednesday that Emirati authorities have blocked Sudanese aircraft from landing in the UAE and even prevented one plane from departing Abu Dhabi airport. Emirati officials have yet to issue a formal response to these accusations.
