UAE thwarts illegal attempt to transfer ammunition to Sudan's army

DUBAI - UAE state media reported on Wednesday that security services had thwarted an attempt by Sudanese military leaders and others to illegally transfer ammunition to Sudan's army.

The report by the WAM news agency said authorities had found about five million rounds of ammunition on a private plane at an airport and had made a number of arrests.

There was no immediate response from Sudan's armed forces which have repeatedly accused the UAE of arming the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), their foes in a two-year-old civil war. The UAE has denied those accusations.

The WAM report said the plan to supply weapons had involved a group which included Sudan's former intelligence chief, Salah Gosh.

"The defendants were arrested during an inspection of ammunition in a private aircraft at one of the country's airports," a statement by WAM said without specifying which airport or naming the people who were arrested.

"The plane was carrying approximately five million rounds of 7.54 x 62 mm Goryunov-type ammunition," it added.