On Sunday, Sudan declared 15 members of the United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) diplomatic staff as persona non grata, ordering them to leave the country within 48 hours. The acting UAE Chargé d’affairs was summoned by Sudan’s foreign ministry to be informed of the decision, though no additional details were provided by the Sudanese government or state news agency regarding the move.
This comes after the UAE declared three Sudanese diplomats as persona non grata and demanded their departure within 48 hours. Tensions have been escalating between the two nations as pro-army loyalists and demonstrators have accused the UAE of supporting the rival Rapid Support Forces (RSF) by supplying arms and weapons. The RSF, led by former deputy to Army Chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, has been in conflict with pro-army forces, resulting in a bloody war since April 15, claiming over 12,000 lives. Negotiation efforts have failed to produce a resolution, and neither side has gained a decisive advantage on the battlefield.
In a scathing speech on November 27, Sudanese Assistant Commander-in-Chief Lt Gen Yasir al-Atta referred to the UAE as a “mafia state,” openly criticizing its alleged support for the RSF. The recent expulsions of diplomatic staff from both nations indicate a further deterioration in diplomatic relations, adding complexity to an already tense situation in Sudan.
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