Investigative Report: UAE’s Escalating Interference in Sudan’s Airspace

Dr. Essam Batran
In a continuation of my earlier investigative report titled “Sudan’s Violated Airspace”, I detailed the suspicious flights conducted by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to support rebel militias in Sudan. These flights, originating from five different countries, carried money, weapons, mercenaries, and food, while also evacuating wounded fighters. The flights, numbering 115 in total, landed at three airports in Chad, the Nyala Airport in Sudan, and various makeshift airstrips in South and West Kordofan.
Following the widespread impact of that report, Reuters released an investigative piece on December 14, 2024, corroborating the findings I previously published on November 24. However, the UAE’s operations have only intensified, as their flights continue to exploit Sudan’s airspace, using Arab and African commercial airlines to transport mercenaries, arms, and supplies, as well as evacuating injured militia fighters for treatment in the UAE. These flights operate through key airports in Chad, including Abéché and N’Djamena, as well as Bangui in the Central African Republic, Abuja, Kano, and Lagos in Nigeria, Entebbe in Uganda, and Abidjan in Côte d’Ivoire. Additionally, the UAE employs ports in Mombasa (Kenya) and Bosaso (Puntland) to transport weapons and supplies.
Expanding Operations
The UAE’s logistical operations extend beyond arms and ammunition to include facilitating the movement of international organization officials into militia-controlled areas. Last week, a high-ranking African UN official secretly visited El Geneina, the capital of West Darfur, while the frequency of commercial and cargo flights from Dubai to these African airports surged, further fueling the rebel militia.
Using radar and surveillance systems such as Flight Radar 24 Hours and Flight Radar Tracker & ADS-B, several direct flights have been detected between airports in South America and Al Maktoum Air Base in Dubai. These flights transport mercenaries for training before dispatching them to Chad’s airports in N’Djamena, Abéché, and Umm Jars. For instance, on December 11, 2024, an Ilyushin-76 landed at Nyala Airport at 2:00 AM and departed at 5:00 AM, marking the resumption of flights after Sudanese air force strikes temporarily disabled Nyala’s main runway. Repairs and the preparation of adjacent dirt runways have since enabled continued landings and takeoffs of aircraft, including the Ilyushin-76 and smaller models like the BE1900 and DHC8.
Disguised Weapons Shipments
The UAE’s arms shipments often masquerade as humanitarian aid, with weapons being funneled through Uganda and Chad before reaching Sudan. Recently delivered arms include advanced long-range drones, 23mm and 40mm rocket launchers, and other modern weaponry. These shipments are transported from Abéché in eastern Chad to Adré, and then on to El Geneina via concealed trucks disguised with aid tarps. The weapons are stored in abandoned homes in central El Geneina, owned by influential locals.
Strikes and New Flights
Recently, airstrikes targeted Al-Kuma, killing six mercenaries, including Emirati drone experts. Despite these setbacks, flights carrying mercenaries trained in UAE camps continue. For example:
• December 6, 2024: An Ilyushin-76 flight (NKP8363, RA76807) departed Bosaso Air Base, Somalia, to N’Djamena.
• December 7, 2024: A Boeing 747-B flight (ABD4746, TFAMU) left Al Maktoum Airport in Dubai for N’Djamena.
• December 9, 2024: Another Ilyushin-76 flight (AZS9903, RA76502) traveled from Bosaso to Abuja, with subsequent flights on December 10 and 15 following the same route.
• December 14, 2024: A Gulfstream GL4F (IVY02, TUVAE) flew from Al Bateen Airport, Abu Dhabi, to Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
A Coordinated Military Supply Chain
The UAE’s logistical support to rebel militias has surpassed the scale of U.S. operations in Iraq in 1990 or the Saudi-led “Operation Decisive Storm” in Yemen. This sustained effort not only includes weapons and mercenaries Rather, it is accompanied by maintenance and expansion operations of airports in the five countries and airstrips at Nyala Airport and four dirt airstrips in the states of South and West Kordofan