Congress members: UAE Providing Weapons to RSF Militia in Contradiction to its Assurances to USA

Washington- Sudanhorizon

Two members of the US Congress, Senator Chris Van Hollen and Congresswoman Sarah Jacobs, have confirmed that the United Arab Emirates is involved in supplying the Rapid Support Militia with offensive weapons used in Sudan, despite its previous commitment not to pursue this practice and that it will no longer provide weapons to the rebels in Sudan.
In a joint statement the two legislators have said it was clear that the United Arab Emirates has been providing the RSF with weapons in stark contradiction to its previous commitment to the US administration under President Biden
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Representative Sara Jacobs (D-Calif.) announced that, based on a Biden Administration briefing and as also demonstrated by recent reporting, they have confirmed the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is providing weapons to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Sudan, in direct contradiction to the assurances it has made to the United States.
The announcement published in the account of Senator Hollen saying this was concluded following their push for the Biden Administration to secure assurances that the UAE would not supply weapons to the RSF and that the Administration would monitor compliance with those assurances, which the Administration agreed to in response to their legislation to block arms sales to the UAE. After filing their Joint Resolution of Disapproval on the Administration’s proposed $1.2 billion arms sale to the UAE, the lawmakers wrote to President Biden that their objective was to stop the transfer of arms from the UAE to the RSF, which the United States has charged with genocide, war crimes, and ethnic cleansing in Sudan.
“The civil war in Sudan has torn apart the country, leaving over 25 million of its people, half of the population, in the midst of a humanitarian crisis.
He added that the Biden Administration rightly determined the RSF has committed genocide and sanctioned the RSF’s leaders, adding that given these facts, it’s clear that the United States must do all in our power to prevent weapons and support from reaching the RSF.
The senator has however added that based on his conversations with the Biden Administration, it’s clear that the UAE is continuing to provide weapons to the murderous RSF, violating the assurances provided to the former Administration.
He stressed :”It is imperative that the United States not provide weapons to countries that are in turn providing military support to the RSF and complicit in its genocidal actions.
He said this was why he would l seek to block any future offensive arms transfer to the UAE until it has complied with its promise to the United States to cease transferring weapons to the RSF.
“The UAE is an important partner in the Middle East, but the United States cannot turn a blind eye to its aiding and abetting the suffering in Sudan,” said Senator Van Hollen in the statement.
Rep. Sara Jacobs said: “The war between the RSF and the SAF in Sudan has ripped the country apart, displacing millions of people and leaving over half of Sudan’s population in need of humanitarian support. And despite its assurances, we now know that the UAE has continued arming the RSF – ensuring this war and this devastation goes on.

She said the U.S. “has the opportunity to end this war and bring stability to Sudan by withholding weapons to the UAE and essentially cutting off the supply chain to the RSF. That’s why I will try to block any future offensive arms sale to the UAE in a push for peace, aid, justice, and accountability for the people of Sudan.”