Sudan’s army-backed government on Tuesday accused Kenya of acting as a conduit for the transfer of weapons from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), the powerful paramilitary group it has been fighting since April 2023.
In a statement released by Sudan’s foreign ministry, the government claimed that Kenyan-labelled arms and ammunition were recently discovered in RSF weapon caches in the capital, Khartoum.
The ministry described the RSF as a “terrorist militia” and asserted that Kenya has become “one of the main conduits of the Emirati military supplies” to the group.
The serious allegation adds to a web of accusations exchanged between the Sudanese army and the RSF, with both sides blaming various foreign powers, including Egypt, Iran, Turkey, Russia, and the UAE, for arming their enemies.
The Sudanese government severed diplomatic ties with the UAE in March, accusing Abu Dhabi of using the RSF as a proxy to destabilize the country and seize strategic Red Sea access and resources.
The UAE has repeatedly denied these allegations, despite mounting reports from UN experts, U.S. lawmakers, and international organizations linking it to RSF weapons transfers via Chad and Libya.
The fresh accusations against Kenya come amid longstanding tensions over Nairobi’s perceived support for the RSF. Sudanese authorities have objected to Kenya’s willingness to host RSF leaders and, in February, condemned a meeting in Nairobi where RSF and allied groups signed a charter to form a rival government. In response, Sudan imposed an import ban on Kenyan goods.
In a now-deleted June 16 post on X (formerly Twitter), Kenyan government spokesman Isaac Mwaura appeared to acknowledge foreign alignments in the conflict, stating: “Egypt and Iran back the Sudanese Armed Forces; the UAE backs RSF.” Sudan’s foreign ministry cited this as a tacit admission of UAE-RSF ties.
Meanwhile, the humanitarian toll continues to rise. World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus condemned what he called “another appalling attack” after over 40 civilians were reportedly killed in a drone strike on Al-Mujlad Hospital in West Kordofan on Saturday.
The attack, believed to be carried out by the army, marks a new low in a war that has killed tens of thousands and displaced over 13 million people.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has warned repeatedly that “outside powers are fuelling the fire,” calling for an immediate halt to foreign arms deliveries to all factions.
Despite diplomatic efforts, the fighting between army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and his former deputy, RSF commander Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, shows no signs of abating, as both sides continue to jostle for military dominance and international legitimacy.
Written By Rodney Mbua
