'Habibi boycott Dubai': Calls for UAE accountability over RSF support, Sudan atrocities

Calls for a boycott of the United Arab Emirates have grown in recent days, following the Rapid Support Forces' brutal takeover of the Sudanese city of El Fasher earlier this week.

The UAE-backed militia overran the capital of North Darfur state, committing massacres and atrocities documented and shared on social media by the group's own fighters.

According to preliminary estimates, more than 2,000 civilians were killed within the first few hours of the RSF's entry into El Fasher. Civilians were summarily executed, some burned alive inside their homes or vehicles.

'Habibi, Boycott Dubai'

On social media platforms, posts calling for a boycott of the UAE gained significant traction.

One post which was shared hundreds of thousands of times on Instagram read, "Habibi boycott Dubai (And the UAE)", in a spin on a slogan previously used in songs and social media posts to encourage tourism to the country. The post was shared by several prominent accounts on social media, including that of activist Greta Thunberg.

"Why? In Sudan there is a Genocide being committed by the Rapid Support  Forces who are funded and armed By the UAE," the post continues.

On X, the hashtag #boycottUAE has also been trending in recent days, with social media users sharing similar posts regarding Emirati involvement in Sudan's conflict.

Emirates backlash

A post shared by Emirates Airlines - one of the UAE's two flag carriers - on Tuesday drew thousands of responses highlighting the UAE's role in Sudan's war.

"This is how we do business," read the original post published by the Emirates' X account, accompanied by a photo of the inside of a business class cabin.

The responses were likely not what the airline expected.

And this is also how the UAE does business. https://t.co/lOCbI6Im3d pic.twitter.com/Brp7mpUlMZ

— Muhammad Jalal (@jalalayn) October 29, 2025

"This is also how the UAE does business," wrote British podcaster Muhammad Jalal, in a post that included a picture of a Sudanese mother and her children looking visibly afraid while sitting in the shadow of armed men who had taken part in the takeover of El Fasher. The post was shared over 18,000 times, and received more than 80,000 'likes'.

Other social media users replied to the post with videos of RSF atrocities committed in Darfur, as well as calls for a boycott of the UAE and its national airline.

"All of the comments are people ripping apart the UAE for their genocidal actions in Sudan The UAE overplayed their hand," read a reply to the post. "Now even the regular people who are uninterested in politics have a strong hatred for that country This issue isn’t going away. The UAE destroyed their brand."

Manchester City 

Elsewhere on social media, football fans also weighed in, highlighting the UAE's involvement in Sudan on pages related to the Emirati-owned Manchester City football club.

"While we all admire Manchester City for its football, it’s important to raise awareness about something serious. You may have noticed City’s channels are flooded with comments about Sudan — here’s why," wrote Manchester City fan page 'Man City Fever' on X.

"While this has nothing to do with the club or our players directly, the actions of our owner and his government must be condemned. I normally don’t post about politics, but this is about awareness, transparency, and moral responsibility. Football should stand for good," the post added, referring to links between club owner and UAE Vice President Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan and the conflict in Sudan.

Several other Manchester City fan pages shared similar messages, reflecting the growing awareness about the Gulf state's involvement in Sudan's war.