UAE re-routes its weapons airbridge to Sudan's RSF through Ethiopia
Le Monde and US lawmakers say Abu Dhabi opened covert cargo routes via Ethiopia and CAR to keep arming the RSF, contradicting assurances given to Washington
Summary
United Arab Emirates-linked cargo flights have re-routed weapons to Sudan's Rapid Support Forces via Ethiopia and the Central African Republic, according to a March 2026 Le Monde investigation and US lawmakers. Senator Chris Van Hollen and Rep. Sara Jacobs, citing a US administration briefing, confirmed Abu Dhabi is still arming the RSF — contradicting assurances it gave United States. Investigators name specific aircraft, including a heavy An-124 transport, and UAE-linked operators (Maximus Air Cargo, International Golden Group, Abu Dhabi Aviation) as a covert "airbridge" replacing exposed earlier routes. The UAE denies backing the RSF. A UN panel is probing the transfers. This is the supply line sustaining a war widely described as genocidal in Darfur. See US senators move to block UAE arms over Sudan's RSF.
By the numbers
- 2 — main re-routing hubs: Ethiopia and CAR.
- An-124 — heavy transport flagged in the flight data.
- 3 — UAE-linked firms named (Maximus, IGG, Abu Dhabi Aviation).
- 2023 — start of the RSF war the airbridge sustains.
- 0 — Emirati admissions of arming the RSF (formal denial stands).
Why it matters
External arming is the variable keeping Sudan's war going. If the documented airbridge forces real US or UN consequences for the United Arab Emirates — a close US partner — it tests whether assurances to Washington carry any cost when broken; if not, the proxy supply continues unimpeded.
What to watch
- Whether Congress conditions arms sales or aid to the UAE on the RSF flows.
- The UN panel's findings on the transfer network.
- Fresh flight-tracking exposing new routes or operators.