The United Arab Emirates has moved to prosecute a group of individuals and companies accused of attempting to channel weapons and ammunition to Sudan, in a case that highlights the complex supply routes feeding the country’s ongoing war.
UAE authorities said 13 people and six firms have been referred to the State Security Court on charges including illegal trafficking in military equipment, document forgery and money laundering. The case will be heard before the State Security Chamber of the Federal Court of Appeal in Abu Dhabi.
According to prosecutors, the defendants were part of a coordinated network that sought to use commercial cover and financial channels inside the UAE to facilitate the transfer of military materiel to Port Sudan, where General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and his Muslim Brotherhood allies are based.
Investigators say the operation involved multiple transactions and relied on falsified paperwork to disguise the nature of shipments. One cargo flight, authorities allege, was presented as carrying humanitarian or medical supplies, with Sudan’s health ministry listed as the receiving entity. Officials said the documentation did not reflect the true contents.
The prosecution’s case outlines two main deals linked to the network. The first involved the purchase of weapons, including Kalashnikov rifles, machine guns and grenades, in a transaction valued at around $13 million. Investigators said the actual cost was closer to $10 million, with the difference allegedly diverted through company accounts as commissions.
A second transaction reportedly used proceeds from the initial deal to secure additional ammunition supplies. Authorities said part of this shipment entered the UAE before being intercepted ahead of its onward transfer.
Officials added that the network had broader plans, including a series of additional transactions aimed at moving millions of rounds of ammunition through similar channels. The disruption of the initial shipment, they said, prevented further deliveries from being executed.
Arabic-language reporting has linked the procurement effort to structures associated with Sudan’s military leadership, including a committee tied to Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and senior figures within his command. Among those mentioned in connection with the case are officials and intermediaries said to have facilitated coordination and financial arrangements.
The companies cited in the case include UAE-registered trading and brokerage firms that prosecutors say were used to move funds and formalise transactions under the guise of legitimate business activity.
The legal action follows an earlier announcement by UAE authorities that they had foiled an attempt to move large quantities of ammunition and military equipment through the country in 2025. That case now appears to have progressed into a formal prosecution, with authorities presenting financial records, communications and other evidence as part of their file.
Sudan’s SAF-aligned authorities have previously rejected the UAE’s claims, describing them as politically motivated and accusing Abu Dhabi of attempting to shift attention away from separate allegations that it has supported rival forces in Sudan’s conflict.
The UAE has denied backing any party and maintains that it enforces strict controls to prevent illicit arms transfers.
The referral to the State Security Court marks a significant escalation, placing the alleged network under formal judicial scrutiny and underscoring the role of regional transit hubs and financial systems in the flow of weapons into Sudan’s war.