Calls are growing for the US and other countries to end arms sales to the United Arab Emirates over its support for the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), the militia that has been executing civilians following its takeover of the city of el-Fasher in Sudan’s western Darfur region.
While the UAE has previously denied arming the RSF, there has been extensive reporting about its covert weapons pipeline to the group, and British and Chinese-made weapons sold to Abu Dhabi have ended up in the hands of RSF fighters.
“As we witness horrific scenes in El-Fasher, the UAE continues arming the RSF — which the US has determined is committing genocide. Enough. We must pass my bill to block arms sales to the UAE until it stops fueling the RSF’s war crimes in Sudan,” Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) said this week, according to Truthout.
Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-NY), the top Democrat of the House Armed Services Committee, has also called for the passing of legislation he introduced that would cut off US arms sales to countries that supply the RSF and its opponent, the Sudan Armed Forces, which has also committed atrocities in the conflict.
“This is unacceptable. My Sudan legislation would cut off US defense sales to external actors funding the conflict in Sudan. It’s also why I will continue holding all major US arms sales going to the UAE while it continues to arm the RSF. The U.S. must do all we can to help end this devastating conflict,” Meeks said.
In January, the Biden administration formally accused the RSF of committing genocide in Sudan. “The RSF and allied militias have systematically murdered men and boys—even infants—on an ethnic basis and deliberately targeted women and girls from certain ethnic groups for rape and other forms of brutal sexual violence,” then-Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement, which also accused the SAF of committing war crimes.
Blinken’s declaration came about two months after the Biden administration advanced a $1.2 billion rocket sale to the UAE. At the time, it was clear the UAE was sending weapons to the RSF. In May of this year, the Trump administration approved a $1.3 billion helicopter sale to the UAE.
