---
title: "UAE says it thwarts illegal attempt to transfer ammunition to Sudan's army"
description: "UAE state media reported on Wednesday that security services had thwarted an attempt by Sudanese military leaders and others to illegally transfer ammunition to Sudan's army."
type: "NewsArticle"
publisher: "Daily Maverick"
site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za"
section: "Newsdeck"
author: "Reuters"
author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/reuters/"
canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-04-30-uae-says-it-thwarts-illegal-attempt-to-transfer-ammunition-to-sudans-army/"
published: "2025-04-30T12:02:07"
updated: "2025-04-30T12:02:09"
lang: "en-ZA"
word_count: 174
---

# UAE says it thwarts illegal attempt to transfer ammunition to Sudan's army

> UAE state media reported on Wednesday that security services had thwarted an attempt by Sudanese military leaders and others to illegally transfer ammunition to Sudan's army.

By Reuters · Published 30 April 2025, 14:02 SAST · Updated 30 April 2025, 14:02 SAST

## Key points
- In a plot twist worthy of a geopolitical thriller, Sudan's authorities discovered a private plane brimming with five million rounds of ammunition, leading to a flurry of arrests and accusations that the UAE is playing both sides in the country's ongoing civil war, while the Emirates continue to deny any involvement in this high-stakes game of arms.
- Authorities seized around five million rounds of ammunition from a private plane at an undisclosed airport, leading to multiple arrests.
- Sudan's armed forces have accused the UAE of supplying arms to the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, a claim the UAE denies.
- The alleged arms supply operation reportedly involved Sudan's former intelligence chief, Salah Gosh.
- Sudan has initiated legal action against the UAE at the International Court of Justice over the accusations of arming the RSF.

## Content

The report by the WAM news agency said authorities had found about five million rounds of ammunition on a private plane at an airport and had made a number of arrests.

There was no immediate response from Sudan's armed forces which have repeatedly accused the UAE of arming the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), their foes in a two-year-old civil war. The UAE has denied those accusations.

The WAM report said the plan to supply weapons had involved a group which included Sudan's former intelligence chief, Salah Gosh.

"The defendants were arrested during an inspection of ammunition in a private aircraft at one of the country’s airports," a statement by WAM said without specifying which airport or naming the people who were arrested.

"The plane was carrying approximately five million rounds of 7.54 x 62 mm Goryunov-type ammunition," it added.

Sudan has filed a case at the International court of Justice accusing UAE of arming the RSF, a charge the UAE denies.

(Reporting by Tala Ramadan; Writing by Ahmed Elimam; Editing by Andrew Heavens)