UAE Admits Mistakes in Supporting Sudan's RSF Militia Amid Growing Criticism
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has finally acknowledged mistakes in its support for Sudan's Rapid Support Forces (RSF), the paramilitary group accused of mass killings in El Fasher. In a striking reversal, UAE envoy Anwar Gargash said the country should have imposed sanctions on those behind the 2021 coup that overthrew Sudan's transitional civilian government.
Gargash's admission comes amid mounting criticism of the UAE's role in backing the RSF, which has been involved in brutal attacks on civilians and rival factions. The US, European Union, and other Western countries have long condemned the group's actions, calling for an end to its involvement in Sudanese politics.
The UAE's support for the RSF was part of a broader strategy aimed at promoting regional stability and countering Islamist influence. However, this approach has backfired, with the RSF's leader, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (also known as Hemedti), allegedly using his militia to enrich himself through illicit gold smuggling.
Gold is Sudan's main export, with the UAE being one of the largest buyers. According to official data, nearly 97% of Sudan's gold exports went to the UAE in 2024, earning $1.52 billion. This has raised suspicions that the UAE's interest in Sudan goes beyond humanitarian concerns and involves securing access to valuable natural resources.
The UAE's response to international criticism has been to claim that it is being unfairly targeted by Islamists within Sudanese army ranks and left-wing organizations opposed to Gulf state influence. However, the country's support for Hemedti remains a contentious issue, with many experts calling for increased scrutiny of its role in backing the RSF.
As diplomatic efforts focus on ending the civil war in Sudan, the UAE faces growing pressure to disavow its ties to the RSF and instead prioritize negotiations between rival factions. The US, Saudi Arabia, and other regional powers are pushing for a ceasefire and the establishment of an independent, civilian-led government in Sudan.
The fate of Sudan's transition remains uncertain, with many fearing that further fighting will only exacerbate the humanitarian crisis. As the international community watches, it is clear that the UAE must now choose between its interests and its reputation – and whether it can walk away from its support for the RSF militia.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has finally acknowledged mistakes in its support for Sudan's Rapid Support Forces (RSF), the paramilitary group accused of mass killings in El Fasher. In a striking reversal, UAE envoy Anwar Gargash said the country should have imposed sanctions on those behind the 2021 coup that overthrew Sudan's transitional civilian government.
Gargash's admission comes amid mounting criticism of the UAE's role in backing the RSF, which has been involved in brutal attacks on civilians and rival factions. The US, European Union, and other Western countries have long condemned the group's actions, calling for an end to its involvement in Sudanese politics.
The UAE's support for the RSF was part of a broader strategy aimed at promoting regional stability and countering Islamist influence. However, this approach has backfired, with the RSF's leader, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (also known as Hemedti), allegedly using his militia to enrich himself through illicit gold smuggling.
Gold is Sudan's main export, with the UAE being one of the largest buyers. According to official data, nearly 97% of Sudan's gold exports went to the UAE in 2024, earning $1.52 billion. This has raised suspicions that the UAE's interest in Sudan goes beyond humanitarian concerns and involves securing access to valuable natural resources.
The UAE's response to international criticism has been to claim that it is being unfairly targeted by Islamists within Sudanese army ranks and left-wing organizations opposed to Gulf state influence. However, the country's support for Hemedti remains a contentious issue, with many experts calling for increased scrutiny of its role in backing the RSF.
As diplomatic efforts focus on ending the civil war in Sudan, the UAE faces growing pressure to disavow its ties to the RSF and instead prioritize negotiations between rival factions. The US, Saudi Arabia, and other regional powers are pushing for a ceasefire and the establishment of an independent, civilian-led government in Sudan.
The fate of Sudan's transition remains uncertain, with many fearing that further fighting will only exacerbate the humanitarian crisis. As the international community watches, it is clear that the UAE must now choose between its interests and its reputation – and whether it can walk away from its support for the RSF militia.
like they r already getting bad reps for backing RSF & all dey gotta do is admit it 
now dey need to take responsibility 4 their actions n try 2 make tings right 
gold exports are a big deal n u can see how UAE's interests are tied up w/ Sudan's gold trade 
like why didnt dey think dis thru before? 
Like, they were totally trying to cover their tracks while still getting that sweet, sweet gold export action going on! And 97% of Sudan's gold exports? That's like, a major conflict of interest, bro... no wonder the US and EU are all up in arms (pun intended). Guess it's time for the UAE to re-think its strategy - maybe stick to what they're good at: hosting fancy festivals and not getting caught in a whole heap of trouble.
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... but only because everyone else is calling them out on it 
! They're saying maybe they should've slapped some sanctions on the people behind the coup, but that sounds like a pretty weak move to me 
. I guess they just didn't want to hurt their own interests, you know? The gold thing is weird too... how can you separate humanitarian help from wanting all that sweet Sudanese gold 
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. Should we be rooting for the RSF guys? I don't know... sounds super sketchy to me 
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? Because if so, that's pretty underwhelming. The international community is watching... and we should be too 
. This whole thing has me totally baffled 
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like they said they shoulda given sanctions 2 those bad guys who led the coup in sudan last year 
and now theyre trying 2 shift the blame 2 islamists & left wing orgs 
now the us, saudi arabia, & other powers r putting pressure on them 2 cut ties with rsf and focus on negotiating a ceasefire 
i hope uae can choose its interests over its rep lol
I'm so relieved the UAE is finally owning up to their mistakes in supporting the RSF! It's about time they took responsibility for backing such a brutal group 
The US, EU, and other countries have been saying it for ages that this support has only led to more violence & human suffering 
I'm glad the international community is holding them accountable now 
It's not like the US, EU, or anyone else is surprised by this development. We knew they were just trying to curry favor with Hemedti and his crew... meanwhile, innocent civilians keep getting caught in the crossfire 
this is crazy how the UAE is finally owning up to their mistakes in backing the RSF militia. It's interesting that they're saying they should've imposed sanctions on those behind the 2021 coup, but I'm not sure if it's too little, too late. Like, how can you just switch sides like that after supporting such a brutal group? The whole thing with the gold smuggling is wild, btw. Like, you're basically buying all of Sudan's gold and then wondering why people are mad at you? 
. It's about time someone took responsibility for their actions, especially when it comes to human rights violations and mass killings 
. The fact that they're now saying they should have imposed sanctions on those behind the 2021 coup is a step in the right direction 
. The fate of their transition is looking super uncertain right now 
The fact remains that nearly 97% of Sudan's gold exports went to them last year - talk about a clear motive 
And now they're sayin' they shoulda put sanctions on those behind the coup, but I mean, is it too little, too late? 
It's all about the gold, innit? They're makin' bank off Sudan's natural resources and thinkin' they can just sweep it under the rug. Newsflash: we ain't buyin' it!