SUDAN · UAE
Key Facts
- The country Sudan is a north-east African nation at war since April 2023 between its army and the Rapid Support Forces.
- What happened On Thursday 29 October 2026 an Abu Dhabi court gave eight men life prison terms for arms supplies to Sudan’s army.
- The others Three more men got three years, two were acquitted, and six UAE companies were fined and lost their licences.
- The goods Weapons and ammunition; the court said ammunition papers described the cargo as medical equipment and supplies.
- The catch The ruling covers two deals, not all arms reaching Sudan, and the UAE denies arming the Rapid Support Forces.
A UAE court in Abu Dhabi sentenced eight men to life in prison on Thursday 29 October 2026 for selling arms to Sudan’s army. American readers should care because it is a rare court finding on how weapons reach a war that has uprooted millions.
The case covers two deals worth millions of dollars, paid for through banks and companies in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Sudan’s army accuses the UAE of backing the rival Rapid Support Forces, which the UAE denies, so the verdict carries political weight.
What the Court Decided
The UAE court, the Federal Court of Appeal in Abu Dhabi, found the defendants guilty of unlicensed arms trading and money laundering. Eight men got life terms, three more got three years, and two were acquitted.
Six UAE companies were each fined Dh1 million (about US$272,000), lost their licences and had the laundered funds seized. The court also ordered the confiscation of Dh1.545 million (about US$421,000), plus the seized ammunition and communications devices.
Who Was Sentenced
The life terms went to Salah Abdullah Mohammed Saleh, known as Salah Gosh, a former head of Sudan’s intelligence service. Also sentenced to life were Yasser al-Atta, an aide to the army’s commander-in-chief, and Othman al-Zubair, an army finance official.
The five other life terms went to Rashid Omar Abdul Qadir Ali, Ahmed Rabie Sayed Ahmed, Mohammed Fath al-Beik, Maher Abdul Jalil and Abdullah Khalafallah. The UAE court described their roles as supplier, intermediary, adviser and cash handler.
The court named al-Atta as the man who asked for the purchases and arranged for the cargo plane to land in Port Sudan. It said al-Zubair handled payments to the suppliers, while Gosh and several middlemen coordinated the deals and collected commissions.
How the Deals Worked
The UAE court found that Goryunov-type ammunition arrived for air transport to Port Sudan, under papers describing it as medical equipment and supplies. Forged documents, companies and bank accounts moved the money and hid its trail.
In one deal Ali received about Dh8 million (about US$2.18 million) in cash from Jalil. The UAE Attorney General said in April that the first deal was declared at US$13 million but was worth no more than US$10 million.
A Case Built Over Two Years
The UAE first said in April 2025 that it had foiled the plot. On 30 April 2026 Attorney General Hamad Saif al-Shamsi, the UAE’s top prosecutor, sent 13 people and six companies to trial.
The charges before the UAE court were illegal trade in military materiel, forgery and money laundering. Prosecutors said the group also planned to smuggle five million more rounds of machine-gun ammunition in six further operations.
Why the Ruling Is Politically Sensitive
Sudan’s army accuses the UAE of arming the Rapid Support Forces, the paramilitary group it has fought since April 2023. The UAE rejects that charge, and our report on Sudan’s dispute with the UAE over arms allegations explains how the quarrel reached the United Nations.
In this case the UAE is punishing people who supplied the army, not the paramilitary side. The UAE court said the deals benefited one party to the conflict and could harm the UAE’s relations with the international community.
What It Means for US Readers
The verdict shows that bank accounts and companies in a major Gulf financial hub were used to pay for arms sent to a war zone. Banks, shippers and aircraft operators that handle Gulf cargo can expect closer checks of cargo papers and end users.
Outside powers are also eyeing Sudan’s Red Sea coast, as our report on Sudan’s Red Sea zone offer to Russia shows. Our explainer on Sudan’s geopolitics sets out who backs whom.
What Is Not Known
The published findings do not say where the eight men are held or whether any further review is open to them. They also do not say how much of the ammunition reached Sudan.
The ruling covers two named deals and does not decide the wider charge that the UAE arms the Rapid Support Forces. It does not measure how many weapons reach either side of the war.
More: Sudan news in English, every day from The Rio Times.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was sentenced to life in the UAE?
Eight men, including former Sudanese intelligence chief Salah Gosh and army aide Yasser al-Atta. They were convicted of unlicensed arms trading and money laundering.
Which UAE court issued the ruling?
The Abu Dhabi Federal Court of Appeal gave the verdict on Thursday 29 October 2026.
Does the ruling show the UAE arms the Rapid Support Forces?
No. The case concerns arms sold to Sudan’s army, and the UAE denies supplying the Rapid Support Forces.
What happens to the convicted men after prison?
The UAE court ordered those convicted to be deported from the UAE once they finish their sentences. The six companies involved lost their licences.
Why does the case matter to the United States?
It shows how arms and money moved through Gulf banks and companies into Sudan’s war. Banks and shippers handling that trade face closer checks.
Sources: UAE Attorney General, referral of 13 defendants and six companies to the State Security Court, 30 April 2026; UAE Federal Court of Appeal (Abu Dhabi), judgment in the Sudan military materiel case, 29 October 2026.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief
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