Sudan's army rejects UAE's accusation it attacked ambassador's residence

The Sudanese army on Monday rejected an accusation by the United Arab Emirates that its forces had bombed the residence of the UAE ambassador in Khartoum, blaming instead the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

The UAE earlier on Monday said the residence of its ambassador in Khartoum had been attacked by a Sudanese military aircraft, condemning it as a "heinous attack".

These "shameful and cowardly acts" are being carried out by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), the Sudanese army said in a statement.

The army has repeatedly accused the UAE of providing weapons and support to the RSF in Sudan's 17-month-old war. The Gulf state denies the allegations. UN sanctions monitors have described as credible accusations that the UAE had provided military support to the RSF.

War erupted in April last year between the Sudanese army and the RSF over a transition to free elections. The UN says nearly 25-million people — half Sudan's population — need aid, famine is looming and some 8-million people have fled their homes.

The UAE's foreign ministry said in a statement that the attack on its ambassador's residence had caused extensive damage to the building.