The United Arab Emirates has denied accusations by Sudan that an Emirati drone launched from Ethiopia was used in an attack targeting Khartoum International Airport earlier this week, as tensions escalated over allegations of foreign involvement in Sudan’s civil war.
In a statement issued late Tuesday, a UAE official dismissed the Sudanese allegations as “fabrications” aimed at deflecting attention from internal failures and prolonging the conflict.
“These fabrications are part of a calculated pattern of deflection – shifting blame to others to evade responsibility for their own actions – and are intended to prolong the war and obstruct a genuine peace process,” the official said in comments reported by Reuters.
The accusations were made Monday by a spokesman for the Sudanese army, who alleged that Emirati-owned drones took off from Ethiopia’s Bahir Dar airport and carried out strikes on several targets inside Sudan during March and May, including Khartoum airport.
The Sudanese military broadcast what it said were drone images and flight paths supporting its claims, although Reuters reported it could not independently verify the information.
Sudanese officials also warned they were prepared to respond to what they described as a violation of the country’s sovereignty.
Ethiopia separately denied the allegations in an official statement.
The accusations come amid longstanding tensions between Sudan’s military leadership and the UAE. Sudan has repeatedly accused Abu Dhabi of supporting the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which has been fighting the Sudanese army since the outbreak of war in 2023.
The UAE has consistently denied backing the RSF and says it supports efforts aimed at ending the conflict through dialogue.
The latest dispute follows an attack on Khartoum airport, which had recently resumed operations after months of disruption linked to the war.
On Tuesday, both Egypt and Saudi Arabia condemned the attack and warned against foreign interference in Sudan’s internal affairs.
Massad Boulos, senior adviser for Arab and African affairs in the administration of US President Donald Trump, also called for an end to external support for either side in the conflict.
Sudan’s civil war erupted after disputes between the Sudanese army and the RSF over plans to integrate their forces and oversee a political transition toward civilian rule.
The RSF initially seized large parts of Khartoum before being pushed back by the army last year. The paramilitary group has since consolidated its presence in the western Darfur region and expanded operations into Blue Nile state near the Ethiopian border, where repeated drone attacks have also been reported.
