Civilians sheltering in El Obeid are running out of time. The Rapid Support Forces, Sudan’s brutal paramilitary group, is preparing a ground offensive on the city that United Nations officials warn could bring fresh atrocities to a region already devastated by civil war since 2023.
The warnings carry particular weight given the RSF’s recent conduct. During its siege of El Fasher, the group committed systematic mass ings, targeted non-Arab communities, and engaged in widespread ual violence. Amnesty International found evidence of crimes against humanity including , torture, and ual slavery. The U.N. fact-finding mission went further, concluding the RSF’s actions bear the “hallmarks of genocide.”
Behind this violence stands a critical question: who’s arming the perpetrators? While Iran, Egypt, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia back Sudan’s military, the UAE provides the RSF’s most significant military aid. Reports document Chinese-made drones, Serbian thermobaric munitions, and even Colombian military contractors flowing through UAE networks. Some contractors allegedly trained child solrs, themselves violating international law.
The evidence points to direct UAE involvement in fueling a conflict where genocide may be occurring. As El Obeid braces for , the international community faces a stark reality about which countries enable mass atrocities and whether they’ll face consequences.
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