UAE, Saudi ON BRINK of Expanding Sudan Proxy War To Entire Region

Two new mass graves were discovered in Khartoum's Al Riad neighborhood, containing thousands of remains. Victims were identified as having died under torture in buildings used by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) as detention centers. The Sudanese Forensic Medicine Authority has already examined over 15,000 bodies from makeshift graves across Khartoum state, indicating the immense scale of the atrocities.

Drop Site reports on mass graves in Khartoum, citing local sources identifying victims of torture in RSF detention centers. The Sudanese Forensic Medicine Authority has examined over 15,000 bodies from makeshift graves.

The Sudanese military successfully broke the long-standing siege on the city of Dilling in South Kordofan. Dilling is strategically important, lying on a corridor between Kadugli and Al Obeid, which the RSF had sought to encircle. This breakthrough, one of the longest sieges in modern warfare, allowed access to food, medicine, and medical care, leading to widespread celebrations and enabling some of the 3 million internally displaced people to return home.

Drop Site reports the Sudanese military broke the siege on Dilling. Videos show celebrations as the army entered the city, ending a lengthy siege where residents lacked basic necessities. Approximately 3 million displaced people have returned home.

The conflict in Sudan is not merely a civil war but a proxy battle fueled by regional power games between two emerging Middle Eastern blocs. One bloc, centered on Israel and the UAE (which is suspected of arming the RSF), seeks to reconfigure the region through military and economic power. The other bloc is led by Saudi Arabia. Both are vying for dominance and access to the Red Sea, directly contributing to the ongoing conflict's funding and fueling.

Foreign Policy articles describe 'rival teams' in the Middle East, an 'Abrahamic coalition' (Israel, UAE, Morocco, Greece, India) and a Saudi-led bloc, competing for regional dominance and Red Sea access. The UAE is 'widely suspected' of supplying weapons to the RSF despite an arms embargo.

The Sudan civil war risks spreading to neighboring countries, particularly Ethiopia, which would constitute a humanitarian and strategic disaster. The UAE, a main backer of the RSF, may be using Ethiopia to expand supply lines and operations near the GERD region on Sudan's eastern border. This could regionalize the war, drawing in Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Egypt, and creating a wider proxy battlefield for Gulf and regional powers, undermining US Red Sea counterterrorism and maritime interests.

Foreign Policy article 'Red Sea rivalries risk unraveling the horn of Africa' warns of Sudan's civil war spreading to Ethiopia. Cameron Hudson and Liam Carr argue the UAE may use Ethiopia for RSF supply lines, risking escalation involving Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Egypt.

Washington is criticized for its disengagement from the Sudan conflict and its failure to pressure the UAE, a key US ally and widely suspected supplier of weapons to the RSF. This inaction allows horrific atrocities to continue. The host points out that the Trump family's business dealings with the UAE create 'warped incentives' that further complicate US diplomatic efforts.

Hosts criticize Washington's 'disengagement' and lack of pressure on the UAE, despite its 'incredible influence' over the country. The Trump family's business with the UAE is cited as creating 'warped incentives'.