Chad has condemned a senior Sudanese general’s threat to target its airports, calling it a “declaration of war.”
Its foreign ministry said it would respond according to international law if a “square meter of Chadian territory is threatened”.
The warning follows comments from Lt-Gen Yasir al-Atta, the deputy commander of Sudan’s army, who said the UAE was using Chad’s airports to deliver weapons to the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
The Sudanese army has repeatedly accused the UAE of supporting its rival, the RSF, throughout the brutal two-year civil war, which has created the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.
UN experts have described accusations of the UAE smuggling weapons to the RSF through Chad as “credible”, but the UAE has denied this.
Lt-Gen Atta’s comments follow Sudan’s recent decision to take the UAE to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) over its alleged support of the RSF.
Speaking at a ceremony for an army officer killed in a drone attack by the RSF on Friday while the army was recapturing the presidential palace, he said airports in Chad’s capital N’Djamena and the eastern city Amdjarass were “legitimate targets”.
Lt-Gen Atta said “retaliatory action” would be taken against the UAE, South Sudan and Chad’s President Mahamat Déby.
South Sudan has also been accused of backing the RSF. It has denied backing any side in the conflict.
“We know what we are saying, and our words are not a joke at all, nor are they spoken lightly,” Lt-Gen Atta warned.
