Sudan’s military government has refuted accusations from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) that its forces have bombed its ambassador’s residence in Khartoum, pointing instead at the rival paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

The UAE earlier on Monday said the diplomatic post was attacked by a Sudanese military aircraft, condemning it as a “heinous attack”. The government in Khartoum, which is in the midst of a new push to retake the capital, has previously accused the UAE of supporting the RSF, with which it has been entangled in war for more than a year.

“The UAE has called on the army to assume full responsibility for this cowardly act,” the Middle Eastern state’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.

Describing the attack as a “flagrant violation of the fundamental principle of the inviolability of diplomatic premises”, the ministry said the attack had caused extensive damage to the building.

It added that it would send complaints to the League of Arab States, the African Union and the United Nations.

In reply, the Sudanese military released a statement blaming the RSF for carrying out these “shameful and cowardly acts”.

In a clear dig at its adversary, with which it has been fighting for control of swaths of Sudan since April 2023, the army said “it does not target the headquarters of diplomatic missions, United Nations agencies or voluntary organisations and does not turn them into military bases and loot their assets.

“The one that carries out these heinous and cowardly actions is the terrorist, rebel militia (RSF)… supported in committing all this by countries known to the world,” the statement said.

The military government has accused the UAE of providing weapons and support to the RSF in the war, which has killed tens of thousands of people and ignited a dire humanitarian crisis.

In June, Sudan’s ambassador to the United Nations, al-Harith Idriss al-Harith Mohamed, accused Abu Dhabi of giving financial and military support to the RSF, and claimed that help was the “main reason behind this protracted war”.

The Gulf state has called the allegations “disinformation”, saying its efforts are focused exclusively on de-escalation and alleviating Sudan’s humanitarian suffering.

However, UN sanctions monitors have described the accusations that the UAE has provided military support to the RSF as credible.

The UN says nearly 25 million people – half of Sudan’s population – need aid, famine is looming and some 8 million people have fled their homes.

For the most part, the RSF has been in firm control of most of the city since the outbreak of hostilities and has been accused of committing abuses against the civilian population.