A Ukrainian-registered cargo plane linked to arms trafficking has made repeated flights between Abu Dhabi and a military airbase in Ethiopia, raising questions about Addis Ababa's role in the Sudan conflict and the UAE's use of African territory to circumvent international scrutiny.
The Antonov An-124, tail number UR-ZYD, flew at least five times between Abu Dhabi and Harar Meda—an Ethiopian Air Force base—between January 3 and 18, according to an investigation by Middle East Eye based on open-source flight tracking data.
The same aircraft was tracked flying between Bahrain's Sheikh Isa Air Base and Israel's Ovda base from December 28-31.
The plane's registered owner, according to a 2021 UN report, is Mohammed bin Zayed, president of the United Arab Emirates. It has a documented history: UN investigators found it violated arms sanctions in Libya, and previous flight records show sorties during the Tigray war in 2021.
Ethiopia becomes a logistics hub
After the UAE lost access to bases in Somalia—including Bosaso and Berbera—Emirati operations shifted to Ethiopia, where Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has aligned closely with Gulf allies.
A Sudanese intelligence source told Middle East Eye that the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) had purchased fighter jets, including Sukhoi Su-24s and MiG-25s. The An-124 is capable of transporting 21 Toyota Land Cruisers or four Mi-17 helicopters in a single flight.
