A cargo plane, previously associated with supplying weapons to UAE-backed fighters in Sudan and Libya, has recently made several flights between military bases in Abu Dhabi, Israel, Bahrain, and Ethiopia. The exact purpose of these flights and any potential connections between them remain unclear. However, they occur amidst a growing power struggle between the UAE and Saudi Arabia in Yemen and the Horn of Africa, raising concerns about a possible escalation in the ongoing conflict in Sudan.

“Evidence that an An-124, given the significant cargo capacity of this particular airframe, has been making repeated sorties between Abu Dhabi and this airfield near an area seeing increased uptick in RSF presence and operations should be of global concern,” Nathaniel Raymond, executive director of Yale’s Humanitarian Research Lab (HRL), which monitors the war in Sudan.

In February 2026, Business and Human Rights Centre invited Maximus Air, International Golden Group, Abu Dhabi Aviation and Abu Dhabi Developmental Holding to respond to the allegations, but they did not.