Sudan rejects UAE allegations of residence attack, seeks compensation for RSF support

October 14, 2024 (PORT SUDAN) – Sudan dismissed accusations by the United Arab Emirates that its army bombed the Emirati ambassador’s residence in Khartoum and said on Monday it would pursue legal action to seek compensation from the UAE for damages resulting from its alleged support of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

“The UAE’s claims are unfounded,” acting Foreign Minister Hussein Awad told a news conference in Port Sudan, citing satellite imagery taken the day after the alleged bombing that showed the building intact.

Awad said the UAE’s accusations stemmed from its frustration over the exposure of its alleged role in supporting the RSF’s rebellion against the Sudanese government. He expressed regret that several countries had echoed what he called the “UAE’s lie,” urging them to reconsider their stance.

The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) had condemned the alleged bombing of the ambassador’s residence based on a statement from the UAE foreign ministry, which accused the Sudanese army of targeting the building in Khartoum’s Al-Raqi district on Sept. 29.

Awad reiterated Sudan’s accusations that Abu Dhabi provided the RSF with logistical support, including weapons and supplies and political cover for its rebellion. He questioned the UAE ambassador’s insistence on returning to Khartoum from Port Sudan after the war broke out, at a time when other diplomatic missions were evacuating.

“Sudan will resort to international law to compel the UAE to compensate for the damage caused by its support of the RSF,” Awad said, adding that memos had been submitted to the International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice.

Culture and Information Minister Graham Abdel-Qadir also presented what he described as evidence of UAE logistical support to the RSF via airports in Entebbe, Uganda and Amjaross and Abéché in Chad. He said weapons and vehicles seized in Khartoum and Sennar state could be presented to U.N. experts for examination.

Abdel-Qadir said the RSF used the ambassador’s residence for meetings and that RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan Daglo (Hemetti) made his first public appearance near the residence after the war began.

He added that the UAE’s photos of damage to the building were inconsistent with its accusations, suggesting they were likely caused by stray shells fired by the RSF.