Sudan has for the first time directly accused the United Arab Emirates (UAE) of launching military attacks within its borders, claiming the Gulf nation was behind a deadly drone and warplane strike on Port Sudan earlier this month.
The Sudanese government, already embroiled in a devastating two-year conflict between the national army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), severed diplomatic ties with the UAE earlier in May, citing its alleged support for the RSF through the supply of advanced weaponry—an accusation the UAE has consistently denied.
Sudan’s ambassador to the United Nations, al-Harith Idris, leveled the explosive claim during a statement in New York on Monday, alleging that the May 4 attack on Port Sudan was launched from an Emirati military base along the Red Sea with assistance from UAE naval vessels.
According to Idris, Emirati warplanes and drones struck key army positions in Port Sudan, which has served as the de facto capital for the Sudanese army and a critical humanitarian hub since war erupted in Khartoum in April 2023.
The attacks targeted army facilities, the main airport, and fuel depots in the eastern city, marking a significant escalation. Until now, drone strikes—presumed to be carried out by the RSF—had been frequent in other parts of army-controlled eastern Sudan but had not reached Port Sudan.
Idris suggested that the strike was retaliation for an army attack on May 3 in RSF-held Nyala, which allegedly downed an Emirati warplane and killed 13 foreign nationals, including what he described as “Emirati elements.”
The UAE has not issued an immediate response to the latest accusations.
In recent months, the Sudanese army has made gains on the battlefield, reclaiming territory at an accelerating pace. However, the growing frequency and intensity of drone strikes have severely disrupted life in army-held areas, knocking out power grids, damaging infrastructure, and cutting off access to essential services such as water.
The army announced on Monday that it was nearing a decisive push to drive the RSF out of Khartoum state, signaling a potential turning point in the prolonged and destructive conflict.
