In a retaliatory move, Sudan has ordered the expulsion of 15 Emirati diplomats from its territory following the UAE’s expulsion of three Sudanese diplomats.
The Sudanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned Badriya Al-Shehhi, the Deputy Chargé d’Affaires of the UAE Embassy in Sudan, on Sunday to convey the decision.
The ministry informed Al-Shehhi that the Sudanese government has declared 15 Emirati diplomats persona non grata and demanded their immediate departure from Sudan within 48 hours, according to the official Sudan News Agency.
On Saturday, December 9, the UAE informed the Sudanese ambassador in Abu Dhabi of its decision to expel three senior Sudanese diplomats, including the military attaché, his deputy, and the cultural attaché, citing their alleged involvement in activities deemed “undesirable.”
This diplomatic escalation is the latest development in the ongoing tensions between the two countries, which have been heightened by recent accusations of UAE support for the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a Sudanese paramilitary group fighting the Sudanese army for more than seven months.
Sudanese officials have maintained that the UAE is providing logistical and financial support to the RSF, including establishing an air bridge to Chad to transport military supplies.
On November 28, Yasser Al-Atta, the Assistant Commander-in-Chief of the Sudanese Army, made a scathing remark, comparing the UAE to a “mafia” state, and accusing it of arming the RSF.
Despite facing accusations, the Gulf country affirmed its commitment to the ongoing regional efforts to resolve the conflict. The African Union even granted the UAE a position on the Expanded Mechanism for the Sudanese crisis. However, it remains uncertain whether Sudan will continue to accept its involvement given the deteriorating bilateral ties.
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