Conflict · UAE-RSF tiesBritain's Silence on Sudan's Secret Arms PipelineAired August 29, 2026 at 7:54 PM UTCWritten September 7, 2026 at 9:22 PM UTCRead the write-upThis storyTranscript · LOADING0:00British officials accepted evidence that the UAE armed Sudan's RSF and refused to0:04publish it.0:05The war has already killed hundreds of thousands and pushed 19.5 million into severe0:10hunger.0:10The country holding the evidence is choosing silence.0:13Why is Britain refusing to name the UAE and what does that mean for a war now in its0:17fourth year?0:18From the war's start in April 2023 to the fall of El Fasher in October 2025, the0:24conflict shifted from a battle for the capital to a grinding control of Darfur.0:28In July, the UK sanctioned gold networks linked to the RSF.0:32In August, the Security Council debated an arms embargo but ended without a0:36resolution.0:37And in September, two events could change the course, peace talks in Addis Ababa and0:41the final report from the UN panel of experts on Sudan.0:45Investigators have mapped a pipeline that begins with recruitment in Colombia, moves0:49through Emirati facilities and a compound in Somalia, and ends with flights out of0:53Chad and Libya delivering weapons and fighters to the RSF.0:56Investigators documented Colombian drone pilots and artillery crews.1:00A draft UN report describes Boeing 727s carrying fighters and mercenaries.1:05And monitoring groups found Chinese-made guided bombs and howitzers on RSF1:09positions.1:10The lead researcher on the phone data told Parliament that British officials1:13accepted the evidence but asked his team to publish it instead of the government,1:17citing concerns about economic reprisals.1:20In written evidence, he said officials prioritize the UK's economic, security, and1:24diplomatic relationships with the UAE.1:26The UK has sanctioned RSF commanders and gold networks, but has not sanctioned the1:30UAE state.1:31Suspended arms exports or proscribed the RSF export data shows £825 million in arms1:37licenses to the UAE since 2020.1:39The hunger crisis is measured precisely.1:41The current IPC analysis finds 19.5 million people in crisis or worse, that's over1:4640% of the analyzed population.1:49That includes 5 million in emergency and 135,000 in catastrophe.1:53Famine is confirmed in El Fasher and Kadugli.1:56The pipeline runs from Abu Dhabi through Chad Libya and Somalia to the RSF's front2:01lines.2:01U.S.2:02intelligence assessed that the UAE flew Chinese Wing Loom II drones from Amjaras in2:06Chad UN investigators earlier called the supply credible, citing truck convoys from2:11the same airport.2:12The corridors connect the Gulf to the battlefield.2:14The UAE backs the RSF with arms, drones, and finance.2:18On the other side, Egypt, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Iran each back the army in some2:22form.2:23Turkey supplies drones and instructors, Egypt offers political support, Saudi speaks2:27for the army in the Jeddah talks, and Iran has supplied drones.2:31This is a proxy war fought over the Red Sea and the Nile.2:34The figures are contested.2:35The UN has documented 11,300 civilian deaths in 2025 and 1,400 in the2:41first half of 2026.2:43Officials say the total death toll is likely in the hundreds of thousands.2:47Independent estimates range from 150,000 to 400,000.2:51And on the Colombian mercenaries, investigators put the figure at 1,500 to 2,000.2:56While some reports cite around 300, the number is disputed.3:06Two dates in September will shape the next phase, the in-person peace track in Addis3:11Ababa and the final report from the UN Panel of Experts, which could make a formal3:15finding on the UAE.3:17No ceasefire is in force.3:19The Army holds Khartoum.3:20The RSF holds much of Darfur.3:23The main front is now in Kordofan, where the Army opened a supply road and seized an3:27RSF logistics hub.3:28In Blue Nile, RSF and Allied forces seized towns near the Ethiopian border, raising3:33spillover risk.3:34The UAE denies everything, calling allegations baseless and pledged $500 million to3:39a UN fund.3:40The question is whether the Addis track and the panel report produce anything that3:44interrupts a war fueled from outside, or whether the pipeline continues while the3:48country holding the evidence stays silent.Explore with HeyDexThe shortThe short ↗