Israel and UAE influencers target Sudan army online as RSF massacres el-Fasher

In a coordinated social media campaign, Emirati influencers and an official Israeli state X account have targeted the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) while the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), their paramilitary rival, have been accused of massacring hundreds of civilians in Sudan’s el-Fasher. The RSF seized control of el-Fasher, the last city in Darfur to fall under their control, after a 500-day siege. Satellite imagery and RSF fighters’ own documentation corroborate the mass killings and abuses committed during the takeover. As criticism mounted against the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for its well-documented support of the RSF, Emirati influencers and Israeli accounts, including the official Arabic language account of Israel, have shifted focus to the SAF, linking them to the Muslim Brotherhood and Hamas. Amjad Taha, a prominent Emirati analyst, led the charge by comparing the SAF to Hamas, posting images of an Israeli family and a Sudanese family, claiming both were victims of ‘Muslim Brotherhood-led forces.’ However, Middle East Eye found that the Sudanese family image dates back to at least September, with no evidence linking their deaths to the SAF. Israeli and Emirati accounts have also made unverified claims about the SAF targeting Christian minorities, despite the war not being fought along religious lines. The conflict, which erupted in April 2023, has killed tens of thousands and displaced over 13 million people. The UAE and Israel have strengthened ties since normalizing relations in 2020, with recent reports indicating UAE’s increased supply of weapons to the RSF, aided by Israel.