Sudan cuts diplomatic ties with ‘state of aggression’ United Arab Emirates

  Smoke rises after explosions at Port Sudan on May 6, 2025. (Getty images) Sudan has officially severed diplomatic relations with the Unite...

 Smoke rises after explosions at Port Sudan on May 6, 2025. (Getty images)

Sudan has officially severed diplomatic relations with the United Arab Emirates (UAE), accusing the Persian Gulf Arab state of backing the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group fighting the Sudanese army.

The announcement came after three days of drone strikes on Port Sudan, a city previously considered one of the safest in the war-torn country.

Sudanese Defense Minister Yassin Ibrahim accused the UAE of violating Sudan’s sovereignty through its “proxy,” the RSF, and declared the country a “state of aggression.”

Sudan will also withdraw its ambassador from the UAE and shut down its diplomatic missions in the country. The Security and Defense Council, chaired by army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, made the decision following an emergency meeting.

The RSF has been blamed for aerial bombardments targeting key infrastructure in Port Sudan, including an international airport, a major power station, oil facilities, and a hotel.

The Sudanese army claims these attacks were made possible by advanced strategic weapons allegedly supplied by the UAE.

The UAE has repeatedly denied accusations of supporting the RSF, but Sudan insists that the country has been arming the paramilitary group for over two years.

On Monday, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) dismissed Sudan’s case against the UAE, in which it accused Abu Dhabi of complicity in genocide.

The court ruled that the UAE could not be sued under the Genocide Convention, as it had opted out of Article 9, preventing legal action from other states.

Sudan has vowed to “respond to the aggression by all means” to protect its sovereignty and civilians.

The RSF’s use of strategic drones has intensified in recent months, targeting civilian and military sites across Sudan.

The attacks have drawn condemnation from Iran, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Jordan, Djibouti, the African Union, and the United Nations.

Thousands of people have been killed and millions have been forced from their homes during two years of conflict in Sudan.