Sudanese officials implicates in granting overflight permits to UAE military aircraft

Sources have revealed alarming information regarding the issuance of permits for United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) military cargo planes to cross Sudanese airspace into Chad, likely carrying weapons and military equipment for the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia, during 2023.

This came amid calls to investigate the entities that issued these permits without the army’s knowledge.

Meanwhile, while sources have revealed the involvement of officials in issuing these permits, the Sudanese Public Prosecution has issued arrest warrants against the former Director of Civil Aviation and the former Director of Air Traffic Management. Civil aviation sources told Sudan Tribune that the Air Transport Department issued overflight permits for 109 flights by Ilyushin Il-76 military cargo aircraft, without the Sudanese Armed Forces’s (SAF) knowledge, between May and July 2023.

The sources reported that the military cargo aircraft took off from the UAE, passing through Entebbe Airport in Uganda, and then headed to South Sudan before crossing Sudanese airspace and landing at Om Jaras Airport in Chad.

The information obtained by Sudan Tribune indicates that the flights that crossed Sudan with permits were carried out by nine aircraft, including aircraft registered in Ukraine and two registered in Kyrgyzstan.

The sources said that the air transit fee collection agent asked employees to subsequently issue financial invoices for the military cargo flights, even though the permits were issued without the knowledge or approval of SAF officials. It called for an immediate investigation to disclose the entity that issued the overflight permits. The investigation should include all personnel and officers of the Air Transport Department who held positions of responsibility between May and September 2023.

The Air Transport Department allows aircraft to cross Sudanese airspace after submitting a request 24 hours in advance, including information about the registration letters, call sign, code, payload, takeoff and landing locations.

Some overflight permits require a return visit to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and military authorities.

The information obtained by Sudan Tribune included details of nine military transport aircraft that crossed Sudanese airspace between May 16 and July 15, 2023, on at least 57 flights.

The Observatory reported that three of the four aircraft that took off from the UAE to Om Jaras Airport had a history of arms smuggling, as they were part of an UAE air bridge to support Khalifa Haftar in Libya.