The Battle for Sudan’s Gold: UAE’s Media Pressure on Khartoum’s Army and Humanitarian Catastrophe in al-Fashir

The Battle for Sudan’s Gold: UAE’s Media Pressure on Khartoum’s Army and Humanitarian Catastrophe in al-Fashir
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As Sudan grapples with one of its worst security and humanitarian crises in decades, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has intensified a sweeping media campaign against the Sudanese army, allegedly seeking to legitimize the actions of UAE-backed paramilitary groups.

According to a report by the UK-based Chatham House think tank, nearly 97 percent of Sudan’s gold exports in 2024 were sent to the UAE — a trade described by analysts as “gold that smells of blood.” The report links the economic stakes in Sudan’s gold industry to regional rivalries that have deepened the conflict.

The UAE’s media networks and online influencers, particularly on Platform X (formerly Twitter), have reportedly amplified narratives portraying the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) as legitimate actors, while vilifying the Sudanese Armed Forces. At the same time, Israeli social-media accounts have joined in anti-army messaging campaigns, contributing to what analysts describe as a coordinated information war.

On the legal front, the International Criminal Court (ICC) has begun collecting evidence on atrocities committed by RSF fighters following their seizure of al-Fashir, the capital of North Darfur. Graphic videos circulating online suggest widespread killings of civilians, prompting the ICC to consider formal prosecutions for war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Meanwhile, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has called for urgent protection of civilians in al-Fashir, warning that the city’s siege by paramilitary forces poses an imminent threat to thousands of trapped residents.

The convergence of media manipulation, foreign economic interests, and severe human-rights violations illustrates the multi-layered nature of Sudan’s crisis. Experts at Chatham House, the ICC, and the ICRC caution that without swift international intervention, Sudan risks deeper humanitarian disaster and further plundering of its natural resources.