The United Arab Emirates rejected on Thursday an announcement from Sudan's armed forces saying they had destroyed an Emirati plane ferrying Colombian mercenaries into the country to back its paramilitary rivals.
Sudan has been locked in a war between its army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces since April 2023, with the military long accusing Abu Dhabi of supporting the RSF—an allegation it denies.
On Wednesday, army-aligned state TV said Sudan's air force struck an Emirati plane as it landed at an RSF-controlled airport in the war-torn Darfur region, killing 40 Colombian soldiers for hire.
"These unfounded allegations... are entirely false, lack any evidentiary basis, and represent a continuation of (Sudan's) ongoing campaign of disinformation and deflection," a UAE official told AFP.
A Sudanese military source, speaking to AFP on condition of anonymity, had said the UAE plane "was bombed and completely destroyed" at Darfur's Nyala airport.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro said his government was trying to find out how many Colombians died in the attack, adding: "We will see if we can bring their bodies back."
Sudan had accused the UAE earlier this week of hiring Colombian mercenaries to fight against the army on behalf of the RSF.
State TV said the plane had taken off from an airbase in the Gulf, carrying dozens of foreign fighters and military equipment intended for the RSF, which controls nearly all of Darfur.
Nyala airport has recently come under repeated air strikes by the Sudanese army.
War Crimes Claims
The army, led by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, has accused the UAE of supplying advanced weaponry, including drones, to the RSF via the airport.
Abu Dhabi denies the accusations, despite numerous reports of its involvement from UN experts, US political officials, and international organizations.
The UAE pointed out on Thursday that "one of the warring parties" was behind the latest allegations, suggesting the army "had every incentive to manipulate the narrative".
Reports of Colombian fighters in Darfur date back to late 2024 and have been confirmed by UN experts.
Last month, the latest US attempt to chart a way out of the conflict broke down as Egypt and the UAE, seen as key external players, disagreed on the role the warring parties would play in a potential peace process.
In May, the Sudanese government declared the UAE an "aggressor state", severing diplomatic ties. Abu Dhabi retorted that the administration "does not represent the legitimate government of Sudan".
That same month, the UN's International Court of Justice threw out Sudan's case against the UAE over alleged complicity in genocide, saying it lacked jurisdiction.
Sudan is now effectively split, with the army in control of the north, east, and center, and the RSF dominating nearly all of Darfur in the west as well as parts of the south.
Both sides have faced claims of war crimes during the conflict, which has killed tens of thousands, displaced more than 14 million, and created what the UN describes as the world's largest displacement and hunger crises.
With AFP
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