Washington (Somalia Today) — Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) plans to lobby US President Donald Trump next week over the United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) support for paramilitary forces in Sudan, the Middle East Eye reports.Â
The rare direct intervention underscores a growing Gulf rivalry over Sudan. The Saudi leader wants to press Trump on the UAE’s backing of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which are accused of severe atrocities in the ongoing Sudanese conflict.
The war in Sudan, which began in April 2023, has recently escalated. The RSF has taken control of el-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur.
Reports from the area say RSF fighters have carried out widespread rape and mass killings. The crisis has intensified international scrutiny and pushed the war higher up the global agenda.
UAE’s role under scrutiny
The UAE has consistently backed the RSF since the war began. Supply routes are reported to run through southeastern Libya, Chad, and, increasingly, the port of Bosaso on Somalia’s Puntland coast. Abu Dhabi, however, continues to deny these allegations.
Sources tracking the conflict say there is also an information war between UAE- and Saudi-backed social media accounts.
According to these monitors, UAE-linked accounts try to discredit journalists who report on RSF abuses. In contrast, Saudi-linked accounts amplify those same reports.
General Abdul Fattah al-Burhan, commander of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), recently spoke by phone with Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
During the call, Burhan said the war in Sudan would not end without US pressure on the UAE. Prince Mohammed bin Salman is reported to have promised that he will raise the issue directly with President Trump.
Gulf allies at odds
Saudi Arabia and the UAE, once closely aligned, now appear to be backing rival camps in several regional conflicts.
Nearly a decade ago, they jointly led the blockade of Qatar and intervened together in Yemen’s civil war. Sudanese fighters, many from the RSF, fought for the Saudi- and UAE-led coalition in Yemen.
Today, however, diplomats say the two Gulf powers support opposing sides in Yemen. The UAE backs a separatist authority in the south, while Saudi Arabia supports the internationally recognized government.
Usually, Gulf monarchs avoid exposing their disagreements in the White House. But the Trump administration operates differently.
The US president often prefers direct, leader-to-leader engagement over traditional diplomatic channels. This habit gives Prince Mohammed bin Salman a chance to shape US policy in person. Analysts say this high-level approach also reflects the UAE’s growing isolation on the Sudan file.
The war in Sudan began in April 2023, following a spike in tensions between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), led by General Abdul Fattah al-Burhan, and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemedti).
Saudi Arabia initially tried to mediate between the warring sides. However, Riyadh has grown increasingly frustrated with the UAE’s active support for the RSF, which it believes is prolonging the conflict.
Egypt, Turkey involvement
Egypt, a close partner of the UAE, is now stepping up military support for the Sudanese army, together with Turkey.
Hussein Ibish, a scholar at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington, notes that when Egypt and Saudi Arabia align, it often signals an Arab consensus.
In his view, the UAE is going against this emerging consensus on Sudan. He also argues that reduced concern over Iran has created more room for Saudi Arabia and the UAE to compete in other arenas.
Sudan sits directly across the Red Sea from Saudi Arabia. Yet the UAE has maintained a more visible presence on the ground.
Reports published in January 2024 detailed alleged UAE weapons supplies to the RSF through a network stretching across Libya, Chad, and Uganda.
More recent reporting has highlighted two Emirati bases in Sudan and the utilization of Somalia’s Bosaso port as part of the UAE’s supply chain.
Tens of thousands of people have been killed in the conflict, and at least 13 million have been displaced. Both the RSF and the SAF face allegations of war crimes.
During his call with Prince Mohammed bin Salman, General Burhan stated that the RSF had become a “killing machine” driven by external support.
Throughout the war, Riyadh has favored the relative stability it sees in the SAF, despite accusations of war crimes against the army as well.
Few US or Arab diplomats expect Sudan to be the only item on the agenda during the Crown Prince’s visit. Other topics, including arms deals, artificial intelligence, and nuclear energy, are also likely to feature in the talks.
