Sudan has taken the United Arab Emirates to the International Court of Justice, accusing the UAE of being complicit in genocide against the non-Arab Massalit population in West Darfur, amid the ongoing civil war between Sudan’s army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, which has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths and displaced over 12 million people.
Sudan claims the UAE has been arming the RSF with the aim of wiping out the Massalit community, and that this support includes arms shipments, drone training, and recruitment of mercenaries.
The UAE denies these allegations, calling the case a “cynical publicity stunt” and seeking an immediate dismissal.
Both the RSF and the Sudanese army have been accused of committing atrocities, including systematic attacks on non-Arab groups and using rape as a weapon against civilians.
The US has also accused the RSF of committing genocide and imposed sanctions on its leader, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo.
The International Court of Justice will decide whether it has jurisdiction over the case, despite the UAE’s reservation to the Genocide Convention, and a decision is expected within weeks.
If the court rules in favor of Sudan, it may issue an injunction requiring the UAE to prevent acts of genocide, although the court’s rulings are legally binding, but it has no direct powers to enforce its decisions.
