{"id":61188,"date":"2026-03-19T17:32:25","date_gmt":"2026-03-19T14:32:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sudanevents.com\/?p=61188"},"modified":"2026-03-19T17:36:03","modified_gmt":"2026-03-19T14:36:03","slug":"sky-to-cut-ties-with-uae-based-channel-amid-accusations-of-propaganda-and-whitewashing-crimes-in-sudan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sudanevents.com\/index.php\/2026\/03\/19\/sky-to-cut-ties-with-uae-based-channel-amid-accusations-of-propaganda-and-whitewashing-crimes-in-sudan\/","title":{"rendered":"Sky to Cut Ties with UAE-Based Channel Amid Accusations of Propaganda and Whitewashing Crimes in Sudan"},"content":{"rendered":"

The UK-based Sky network is preparing to end its partnership with Sky News Arabia, which broadcasts from Abu Dhabi, following widespread accusations that the channel has become a propaganda platform denying atrocities committed by Sudan\u2019s Rapid Support Forces.<\/strong><\/p>\n

According to The Telegraph<\/em>, Sky will withdraw its brand licensing from the channel next year after notifying UAE state-backed media company IMI and completing the necessary legal procedures.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Background of the Partnership<\/strong><\/span>
\nThe partnership between Sky and IMI began in 2010 as a 50-50 venture when Sky was owned by News Corp and Rupert Murdoch, who was seeking to build alliances with the UAE. Since 2018, however, Sky has been owned by the U.S.-based Comcast, which has also terminated branding agreements elsewhere, including in Australia, over concerns of editorial bias toward a Fox News-style approach.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Allegations of Complicity with RSF<\/strong><\/span>
\nWestern intelligence reports have accused Sky News Arabia of whitewashing crimes committed by the Rapid Support Forces, a Sudanese militia allegedly backed by the UAE. Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan\u2014UAE Vice President and owner of Manchester City\u2014is said to have played a key role in overseeing the country\u2019s activities in Sudan. The UAE has denied any involvement in the alleged crimes.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The channel drew significant controversy over its coverage of the RSF\u2019s takeover of El Fasher last year. Satellite imagery documented a massacre in which thousands of civilians were reportedly killed.<\/strong><\/p>\n

However, the channel\u2019s correspondent, Tasabih Mubarak Khater\u2014who is married to a senior official in the RSF\u2019s parallel administration\u2014was seen embracing a field commander who had called for the rape of women in Darfur. She later aired reports denying evidence of massacres and dismissed satellite imagery as \u201cfake news.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

International Reactions<\/strong><\/span>
\nIn February, a UN fact-finding mission concluded that genocidal intent was \u201cthe only reasonable inference\u201d from patterns of rape, killing, and ethnic cleansing in Darfur. Despite this, Sky News Arabia continued to broadcast reports downplaying these allegations.<\/strong><\/p>\n

UAE Response<\/strong><\/span>
\nIMI defended Sky News Arabia\u2019s coverage, calling accusations of bias \u201coutrageous and unfounded,\u201d and stating that its editorial standards board remains operational. Sky News in the UK has not responded to requests for comment regarding its Emirati affiliate.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The UK-based Sky network is preparing to end its partnership with Sky News Arabia, which broadcasts from Abu Dhabi, following widespread accusations that the channel has become a propaganda platform denying atrocities committed by Sudan\u2019s Rapid Support Forces. According to The Telegraph, Sky will withdraw its brand licensing from the channel next year after notifying …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":61189,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[15,25],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-61188","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-local","category-news-2"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sudanevents.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/61188","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sudanevents.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sudanevents.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sudanevents.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sudanevents.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=61188"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/sudanevents.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/61188\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":61193,"href":"https:\/\/sudanevents.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/61188\/revisions\/61193"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sudanevents.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/61189"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sudanevents.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=61188"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sudanevents.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=61188"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sudanevents.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=61188"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}