Sudan accuses UAE of fueling war with weapons to paramilitary rivals. UAE calls claim `ludicrous’

By EDITH M. LEDERER
Associated Press

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The Sudanese government is accusing the United Arab Emirates of fueling the 14-month war in the African country by providing weapons to a rival paramilitary force. The UAE has dismissed the allegation as “ludicrous,” calling it “a shameful abuse by one of the warring parties.” The clash came during a U.N. Security Council meeting Tuesday at which Assistant U.N. Secretary-General Martha Pobee warned that atrocities are being committed along ethnic lines in Sudan’s western Darfur region. Sudan’s ambassador accused paramilitary forces of “destructively launching” the war and of attacking civilians, aided by weapons from the UAE. The UAE’s envoy said those are “false allegations” and demanded to know why Sudan’s government refuses to return to peace talks.