A power struggle in the Middle East is fuelling Sudan's civil war, with fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces (SAF) backed by different Gulf countries. The conflict is also becoming more complex due to regional tensions. The UAE has been accused of supporting the RSF with weapons and funds, while Saudi Arabia and Qatar back the SAF, along with Turkey, Egypt and Eritrea. Experts believe it uses its ties to neighbouring countries, such as Ethiopia, South Sudan, Libya and Chad, to support the paramilitaries. The Gulf states have also played a role in funding proxy groups and wars in Yemen, Libya, and Sudan as a way of securing strategic influence and gold assets. Sudan's strategic location and its access to ports are cited as reasons for the conflict.