Pressure is mounting on the United Arab Emirates over its presence at acrucial conferencein London aimed at stopping the war in Sudan after a leaked confidential UN report raised fresh questions over the UAE’s role in the devastating conflict.The UAE has been accused ofsecretly supplying weaponsto Sudanese paramilitaries via neighbouring Chad, a charge it has steadfastly denied.However an internal report – marked highly confidential and seen by the Guardian – detected “multiple” flights from the UAE in which transport planes made apparently deliberate attempts to avoid detection as they flew into bases in Chad where arms smuggling across the border intoSudanhas been monitored.The allegations raise complications for the British foreign secretary, David Lammy, who controversially invited the UAE alongside 19 other states forSudan peace talks at Lancaster Houseon 15 April.The date marks the second anniversary of a civil war that has caused theworld’s biggest humanitarian crisis, displacingmore than 12 million people.View image in fullscreenPeople who fled the Zamzam camp near El Fasher, North Darfur, after it was seized by the Rapid Support Forces. The RSF killed more than 200 civilians in the attacks.Photograph: AFP/GettyA senior diplomat, who is familiar with the leaked report but requested anonymity, said: “The UK needs to explain how it is responding tomassacres of childrenand aid workers while hosting the UAE at its London conference.”The 14-page report – completed last November and sent to the Sudan sanctions committee of the UN Security Council – was written by a panel of five UN experts who “documented a consistent pattern of Ilyushin Il-76TD cargo flights originating from the United Arab Emirates” into Chad, from where they identified at least three overland routes potentially used for transporting weapons into neighbouring Sudan.They found that the cargo flights from airports in the UAE to Chad were so regular that, in effect, they had created a “new regional air bridge”.They noted that flights demonstrated peculiarities, with planes often disappearing for “crucial segments” of their journey, a pattern that the experts said “raised questions of possible covert operations”.However, the experts added that they could not identify what the planes were carrying or locate any evidence that the planes were transporting weapons.3:22Khartoum before and after: footage shows destruction wreaked by war in Sudan – videoThe findings of numerous cargo flights from the UAE to Chad are not mentioned in the final report of the UN expert panel on Sudan, due to be published in a few days. No reference is made to the Emirates in the expert’s final 39-page report except in relation to peace talks.Questions over the UAE’s alleged role in backing the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) arrive after a weekend that saw its fighterskill more than 200 civiliansin a wave of violence against vulnerable ethnic groups in displacement camps and around the city ofEl Fasher, the last major city still held by the Sudanese army in Darfur, the vast western region of Sudan.“It will be shameful if the conference does not deliver concrete civilian protection in the context of ongoing genocide,” said the diplomat.In January the US formally declared that theRSF had committed genocidein Sudan.The UAE states that it is committed to bringing “lasting peace“ to Sudan.In their November update, the UN experts, investigating the possible smuggling of weapons from Chad into Darfur in possible violation of an arms embargo, identified at least 24 Ilyushin Il-76TD cargo flights landed at Amdjarass airport in Chad last year.The flights, they noted, coincided with an escalation of fighting in El Fasher, in particular a “surge in drone activity primarily by the RSF for combat and intelligence” whose arrival in Sudan, said the experts, marked “a new technological phase in the conduct of hostilities”.Some of the flights identified in the report were linked to operators previously connected to “military logistics and illicit arms transfers”. Two of them, said the experts, had previously been flagged for violations of the arms embargo.Experts also examined “regular departures” into Chad from two UAE airports – in Ras Al-Khaimah emirate and Al Ain in Abu Dhabi emirate – and found that the flights frequently disappeared from radars during crucial moments.On one occasion, the report describes how a flight “left Ras Al-Khaimah, vanished mid-flight, and later surfaced in N’Djamena [capital of Chad] before returning to Abu Dhabi”.Crucially, however, the UN experts said they could not prove that the planes were carrying weapons because the “flights lacked evidence regarding the specific content being transported”.Four of the five UN experts said that although the flights “marked an important new trend”, what they managed to uncover “failed to meet evidentiary standards regarding evidence of arms transfers”.For instance, although residents of the South Darfur city of Nyala reported “cargo plane activity and informants attributed it to RSF logistical operations, further triangulated evidence to confirm the nature of the cargo transported was absent”.Therefore, the experts said, it was “premature to infer that these flights were part of an arms transfer network”. They also added that the fact that several of the flights and cargo operators were linked to military logistics and past arms violations “did not provide proof of current arms transfers”.It added: “Additionally, patterns and anomalies in flight paths, such as mid-flight radar disappearances and unrecorded take-offs, raised concerns but did not offer verified evidence directly linking these flights to arms shipments.”View image in fullscreenLast week’s ICJ hearing, from left: Ameirah Al Hefeiti, UAE ambassador to the Netherlands; Abdalla Hamdan Al Naqbi; and Reem Ketait; both of the UAE foreign ministry.Photograph: ReutersIt said “closing these investigative gaps was crucial”.The revelations come days after the international court of justice (ICJ) in The Hague heard a case brought by Sudanaccusing the UAE of being “complicit in the genocide”during the war. The ICJ has heard claims that the RSF is responsible for serious human rights violations including mass killings, rape and forced displacement in West Darfur.The UAE has said the case is a cynical publicity stunt and a “platform to launch false attacks against the UAE”.A UAE source pointed out that the confidential UN expert report contained the disclaimer that four of the five panel members felt that “allegations of an airbridge from the UAE to Sudan via Chad failed to meet the evidentiary standards required to establish a clear link between the documented flights and the alleged transfer of arms”.Sudan’s news blackout stokes fear and confusion after refugee camp attacksRead moreA UAE statement added that the imminent final report from the Sudan expert panel did not reference the Emirates in relation to any flights “because the allegations against us failed to meet the panel’s evidentiary threshold. The record speaks for itself.”It added that they had been told by the UN security council’s Sudan sanctions committee that the final report “did not make any negative findings” against them.“The latest UN panel of experts report makes clear that there is not substantiated evidence that the UAE has provided any support to RSF, or has any involvement in the conflict,” said the statement.
Leaked UN experts report raises fresh concerns over UAE’s role in Sudan war
TruthLens AI Suggested Headline:
"UN Report Raises Questions About UAE's Alleged Support for Sudanese Paramilitaries"
The Guardian
6.1
TruthLens AI Summary
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is facing increasing scrutiny regarding its involvement in the ongoing war in Sudan, particularly following the leak of a confidential UN report that raises serious allegations. The report claims that the UAE has been secretly supplying weapons to Sudanese paramilitaries via Chad, a charge that the UAE has consistently denied. According to the report, there have been numerous cargo flights from the UAE into Chad, which have shown patterns suggesting deliberate attempts to evade detection. This has raised questions about potential covert operations related to arms smuggling, as the flights reportedly coincide with significant escalations in violence in the region, including recent massacres committed by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) against civilians. The situation is further complicated by the UK’s decision to invite the UAE to participate in peace talks for Sudan, scheduled for April 15, which marks two years since the onset of the civil war that has resulted in a humanitarian crisis affecting over 12 million people.
The leaked report, compiled by a panel of five UN experts, documents a consistent pattern of flights from the UAE to Chad, identifying at least 24 Ilyushin Il-76TD cargo flights that have contributed to a new regional air bridge potentially used for smuggling arms into Sudan. However, the experts acknowledged that while the flights exhibited suspicious patterns, they could not conclusively determine if the aircraft were indeed transporting weapons. This lack of definitive evidence has led to conflicting interpretations of the findings, with UAE officials stating that the report does not substantiate claims of their involvement in arms transfers. The ongoing concerns come amidst a backdrop of severe human rights violations in Sudan, with the RSF accused of genocide. The UAE's position remains that it is committed to achieving lasting peace in Sudan, while critics argue that its role in the conflict must be thoroughly examined, especially in light of the recent violence that has claimed hundreds of lives. The final report from the UN experts is expected to provide further clarity, but the implications of these findings are already prompting significant diplomatic challenges for the UAE and its partners in peace negotiations.
TruthLens AI Analysis
The article sheds light on the controversies surrounding the United Arab Emirates' involvement in the ongoing conflict in Sudan, specifically highlighting allegations of arms supplies to Sudanese paramilitaries. The leak of a confidential UN report has intensified scrutiny of the UAE, raising questions about its role in the humanitarian crisis that has displaced millions in Sudan.
Purpose of the Report Leak
The timing of the leaked report coinciding with a London conference on Sudan peace talks suggests an effort to hold the UAE accountable for its alleged actions. By exposing these allegations, the article aims to create pressure on the UK government and its foreign secretary, David Lammy, to reconsider the UAE's participation in peace discussions, thereby addressing the moral implications of hosting a state accused of exacerbating the conflict.
Public Perception and Manipulation
The article seems designed to foster skepticism towards the UAE's intentions and actions in Sudan. By detailing specific instances of alleged weapon flights and the humanitarian crisis, it seeks to evoke outrage among the public and policymakers alike. There is an implicit suggestion that the UK government may be complicit or negligent by allowing the UAE a platform at the conference while it faces serious accusations.
Potential Information Concealment
This report may distract from other geopolitical dynamics at play, such as the roles of other nations in the Sudan conflict or the broader implications of foreign interventions in African wars. The focus on the UAE's actions might serve to obscure these complexities, potentially simplifying a multifaceted issue into a narrative of good versus evil.
Analysis of Manipulative Elements
The use of emotionally charged language, such as references to "massacres of children and aid workers," is designed to elicit a strong emotional response. This choice of wording could be seen as manipulative, aiming to vilify the UAE while rallying domestic and international support for a more critical stance against its involvement in Sudan.
Comparative Context
When placed alongside other reports on the Sudan conflict, this article highlights a trend of increasing scrutiny on foreign powers involved in the region. The focus on the UAE may be part of a larger narrative about accountability in international relations, particularly regarding the arms trade and its impact on humanitarian crises.
Economic and Political Implications
The fallout from this report and its subsequent media coverage could influence diplomatic relations and economic ties between the UAE, the UK, and other nations involved in Sudan. Investors might react to these developments, particularly those in defense and humanitarian aid sectors, which could see shifts in stock prices based on public perception and government policies.
Support and Target Audience
This article likely resonates more with audiences concerned about human rights, international accountability, and the humanitarian crises exacerbated by foreign interventions. It targets those who advocate for ethical foreign policy and humanitarian aid, potentially mobilizing grassroots support for actions against implicated nations.
Global Power Dynamics
In the context of global power balance, this report underscores the complexities of international alliances and the responsibilities that come with them. The UAE's alleged actions may reflect broader questions about the role of regional powers in global conflicts, especially in light of current geopolitical tensions.
Artificial Intelligence Influence
While it is unclear if AI was directly involved in the report's content creation, the structured presentation of allegations and the emphasis on specific data points suggest that automated tools could have aided in compiling and organizing the information. If AI were used, it might have influenced the framing of the report to highlight critical aspects of the UAE's involvement that elicit public concern. In summary, the article presents a critical view of the UAE's actions in Sudan, aiming to provoke public and political discourse on the ethical implications of foreign involvement in humanitarian crises. The reliability of the article hinges on the authenticity of the leaked report and its implications, suggesting that while it raises valid concerns, it also serves a specific agenda.