Sudan has issued a strong call to Kenya, urging President William Ruto’s government to stop what it describes as support for the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia, a rebel group currently battling the Sudanese army for control of the country.

In a statement released on Tuesday, June 24, Sudan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs demanded that Kenya respect the United Nations Charter, which outlines the obligation of member states to promote peace and avoid interfering in the internal affairs of other nations.

The statement comes in the wake of claims that Government Spokesperson Isaac Mwaura indirectly admitted the United Arab Emirates (UAE) had been supplying military support to the RSF through Kenya. Sudan alleged that despite Kenya’s denials, the country has served as a major route for UAE’s military assistance to the militia.

Tensions between the two nations escalated further after Mwaura suggested that the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) were also benefiting from foreign military backing, a claim Sudan quickly rejected.

“These allegations are unfounded. SAF, the national army, is duty-bound constitutionally and morally to defend the country and its people,” the ministry stated.

Sudan went on to stress that international players have a responsibility to help it in defending its sovereignty from what it referred to as a "savage terrorist militia and its external sponsors.” The ministry drew parallels with global efforts to dismantle groups like ISIS, Al-Shabaab, and Boko Haram, urging similar support in its fight against the RSF.

The government in Khartoum also condemned Mwaura for what it called a biased narrative, particularly his reference to a “Government of Peace” linked to the RSF, which it viewed as an attempt to legitimise a parallel administration and encourage the division of Sudan.

“Sudan once again calls on Kenya to honour its obligations under the Charter of the United Nations, the Constitutive Act of the AU, and other regional organisations, and to cease all forms of support to the terrorist RSF militia,” the statement read.

The allegations are particularly sensitive given that President Ruto previously met with RSF leader General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo at State House Nairobi on January 3, 2023.

That meeting drew criticism at the time, but Kenyan authorities defended it as part of a peace initiative.

Kenya, through its Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, recently dismissed the accusations. In an interview with Citizen TV, Mudavadi insisted that Kenya merely offered RSF a venue for dialogue, without participating in or influencing the militia’s actions.

He maintained that Nairobi’s role was guided by its commitment to fostering regional peace and stability.

However, Sudan appears unconvinced, accusing Kenya’s actions and rhetoric of fuelling unrest and undermining the territorial integrity of not just Sudan, but the entire region. The situation remains tense, as Sudan continues to fight a brutal civil conflict while appealing to its neighbours to refrain from backing forces it views as insurgents.