Sudan cuts ties with UAE, declares it 'hostile state' over alleged support for RSF

Sudan announced on Tuesday that it is severing diplomatic relations with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and officially designating it a "hostile state".

The move comes amid accusations that the UAE has been providing financial and military support to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which have been fighting the Sudanese army since April 2023.

Read more: ICJ dismisses Sudan’s genocide case against UAE

In a televised statement, Sudanese Defense Minister Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Yassin read a declaration on behalf of the country’s Security and Defense Council, outlining a series of measures. These included the designation of the UAE as a hostile state, the cutting of diplomatic ties, and the immediate withdrawal of Sudan’s embassy and consulate from Emirati territory.

The statement accused the RSF of using weapons and equipment supplied by the UAE in recent attacks on Port Sudan, describing it as a “direct act of aggression” against Sudan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

This comes just one day after the International Court of Justice (ICJ) dismissed a case filed by Sudan accusing the United Arab Emirates (UAE) of aiding genocide in the ongoing war.

The court ruled that it lacks jurisdiction to hear the case, according to Agence France-Presse (AFP).

The UAE has not yet responded to Sudan’s announcement.