UAE is ‘main backer’ of Sudan’s RSF war, intelligence officer claims

The paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Sudan, originally a tribal militia, are notorious for recording their own atrocities. Videos showing fighters lynching women, assaulting medics, and celebrating over corpses have spread online since their war with Sudan’s army erupted in April 2023.

But one thing their videos never reveal is who bankrolls them.

In a rare interview with Sky News at a secret location, an RSF intelligence officer—using the alias Ahmed—confirmed widespread allegations that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is the group’s main sponsor. He explained that while Russia’s Wagner Group was initially involved, today the UAE is believed to be providing the most significant support.

Ahmed, who comes from North Darfur, now lives as a refugee in a neighboring country but stays in contact with RSF networks. He claims weapons arrive via flights from the UAE into Nyala, South Darfur, and through Chad’s Amdjarras airport. In his words: “It’s a financial relationship, no more. The RSF controls gold mines, and the UAE is a global hub for gold trading.”

The RSF faces accusations of genocide, mass looting, sexual violence, and terror raids across Sudan. Currently, its fighters are besieging Al Fashir, the last government-held capital in North Darfur, where nearly one million civilians are trapped under bombardment and blockade.

On the ground, former rebel groups—now reorganized as the Joint Task Forces—are fighting back alongside the army. Their commander, Idris Ali, told Sky News: “Our patriotism does not allow us to surrender. This is our land, and we will fight to the last breath.” He said his intelligence confirms that weapons flow from the UAE through Chad, entering Sudan via routes like the Adre crossing into West Darfur.

Videos shared with reporters appear to show arms transfers at night along the Chad-Sudan border and convoys of vehicles allegedly repurposed into RSF “technicals.” Additional routes run south of Tine and north through Amdjarras, where at least 86 UAE-linked flights were tracked by December 2024.

Sudan’s government told the UN Security Council in September that 248 flights between November 2024 and February 2025 brought weapons, mercenaries, and equipment from the UAE into Sudan via Chad. Independent trackers have also reported cargo flights from Abu Dhabi to N’Djamena, Chad’s capital, with patterns consistent with arms deliveries.

A leaked UN report, cited by The Guardian, documented a similar pattern of flights but could not prove the planes carried weapons. Those findings were ultimately excluded from the final report.

When asked about the allegations, the UAE’s foreign ministry firmly denied them. It said the UAE has only sought to promote peace, ceasefire efforts, and humanitarian aid, while condemning both the Sudanese army and RSF for atrocities. The statement dismissed accusations as propaganda by the “Port Sudan Authority” (the army-backed government), insisting there is no verified evidence linking the UAE to arms shipments.

The Chadian government did not respond to requests for comment.