The United Arab Emirates said on Wednesday it had foiled a weapons shipment intended for the Sudanese army, which has accused the Gulf state of backing rival paramilitaries in the country's two-year war.

The announcement comes just days before the International Court of Justice is slated to issue a ruling in a case Khartoum filed against the UAE accusing it of complicity in genocide by supporting the RSF.

"The security services succeeded in preventing the transfer of a quantity of military equipment to the Sudanese Armed Forces following the arrest of members of a cell involved in unauthorised mediation, brokering and illicit trafficking of military equipment," UAE Attorney General Hamad Saif Al Shamsi said, according to official news agency WAM.

The statement did not list the suspects arrested, but said members of the cell included former Sudanese intelligence chief Salah Gosh, an ex-adviser to the finance minister, and a political figure close to army head General Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, as well as several Sudanese businessmen.

'Disguised as sugar import'

It said the arrests were made "during an inspection of ammunition in a private aircraft" loaded with around five million machine gun rounds.

Some of the proceeds of the deal were also seized from two suspects in their hotel rooms.

"According to investigators, the cell members completed a military equipment deal involving Kalashnikov rifles, ammunition, machine guns, and grenades worth millions of dollars," the statement said.

The transaction was facilitated by a company owned by a cell working for Colonel Othman Al-Zubair, in charge of financial operations for the Sudanese military, using fake invoices to "claim the payments were for a sugar import deal", the statement said.

Certificates and approvals

Ahmed Rabie Ahmed Al-Sayed, whom the statement described as a political figure close to Burhan, is accused of issuing certificates and approvals as well as assigning cell members to "broker and finalise the transactions."

AFP has contacted the Sudanese army for comment on the case.

"The investigation concluded that these deals were carried out at the request of the Sudanese Armed Forces' Armament Committee, chaired by Al-Burhan and his deputy (Yasser) Al-Atta, with their full knowledge and approval," the statement said.

Gosh played a "central role in managing illegal military equipment trafficking within the UAE, in coordination with other cell members", according to the statement, which said the group had earned $2.6 million in profits from two deals.

'Breach of national security'

His share was found in the possession of another suspect who was formerly his chief of staff, it added.

The ongoing investigation identified companies owned by a Sudanese-Ukrainian businessman, including one operating in the UAE, which "provided the Sudanese army with weapons, ammunition, grenades, and drones, in collaboration with the cell members and the military's financial officer."

One of the companies was under US sanctions, it said.

Attorney General Shamsi called the case "a grave breach of the UAE's national security", adding the suspects would be referred to "urgent trial proceedings."

UAE accused of supporting RSF

The UAE has long been accused by Sudan and others of supporting the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which have been fighting the regular army for nearly two years – an allegation the Gulf state denies.

The Gulf state promised the United States in December that it would not arm the RSF, after two US lawmakers attempted to block its purchase of $1.2 billion in advanced rockets and long-range missiles.

In January, the US lawmakers said the UAE had broken its promises and was still supplying the Sudanese rebels.

Both the RSF and the Sudanese army have faced claims of war crimes during Sudan's bitter conflict, which has killed thousands of people and uprooted more than 13 million.