Editor's Review

Sudan has issued an appeal to President William Ruto following claims by Isaac Mwaura that UAE backs the RSF.

Sudan has issued an appeal to President William Ruto, urging Kenya to cease all forms of support to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). 

The appeal follows remarks by Government Spokesperson Isaac Mwaura that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is backing the RSF while Egypt and Iran is behind the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF). 

"External powers fuel the conflict: Egypt and Iran back SAF (Sudanese Armed Forces); the UAE backs RSF (Rapid Support Forces)," he said on Monday, June 16.

In a statement on Tuesday, June 24, the Sudanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the remarks confirmed Sudan's long-standing suspicions of foreign backing for the RSF.

“The Spokesperson of the Kenyan Government admitted on June 16 that UAE is supporting the terrorist RSF militia to seize Sudan’s natural resources and to establish a foothold on the Red Sea. By this admission, the Spokesperson has just stated the obvious,” the statement said.

File image of President William Ruto

Sudan went further to claim that Kenya is directly implicated in arming the RSF through both military logistics and material support.

“A more pertinent and alarming issue, however, is the involvement of the Kenyan Government itself in backing the terrorist Janjaweed militia. Last month, the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) uncovered Kenyan-labelled arms and ammunition in the terrorist RSF militia’s weapon caches in Khartoum," the statement added.

Sudan was also quick to dismiss the claim by Mwaura that other countries, including Egypt and Iran, were helping the SAF.

“Moreover, Kenya has been one of the main conduits of the Emirati military supplies to the terrorist RSF militia. Instead of explaining this grave violation of international law and the principle of good neighbourhood by his government, the Spokesperson sought to justify the UAE’s complicity in the RSF’s war of terror against the Sudanese people by alleging that certain countries are helping SAF. These allegations are unfounded," the statement further read.

Sudan concluded with a direct appeal to Ruto to reverse course and reaffirm Kenya’s commitment to peace and non-interference in the region.

“Sudan once again calls on Kenya to honour its obligations under the Charter of the United Nations, the Constitutive Act of the AU, and other regional organizations, and to cease all forms of support to the terrorist RSF militia and recommit itself to the principle of non-interference in other states’ internal affairs," the statement concluded.