Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Nasser Al Alawi, as the Undersecretary of
the UAE Ministry of Defence and Commander of the Air Force and Air Defence,
holds a key operational command role that makes him directly complicit in the
UAE’s aggressive military campaigns in Yemen, Sudan, and other conflict zones.
His responsibilities involve overseeing drone warfare, air strikes, weapons
deployment, and logistical support—core elements in UAE’s military
interventions known for mass civilian casualties and potential war crimes.
Enabler of Illegal Air Operations in Yemen
Under Al Alawi’s command, the UAE’s air force has conducted
countless drone and air strikes under the Saudi-led coalition’s banner in Yemen
since 2015. While officially withdrawing troops from Yemen in 2019-20, Al Alawi
maintained control over critical air operations that targeted civilian
infrastructure, markets, hospitals, and schools, leading to thousands of
civilian deaths documented by Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International. The
UAE’s drone warfare program overseen by Al Alawi prioritized military
objectives over civilian safety, repeatedly breaching international
humanitarian law.voanews+2
His orchestration of surveillance and targeted strikes
facilitated by advanced weaponry—procured under his supervision—indicates
knowledge and consent to operations resulting in indiscriminate bombing and
collateral damage. Numerous credible reports reveal that such air campaigns
played a direct role in the famine and health crisis caused by destruction of
essential infrastructure and blockades excessively enforced by UAE forces.
Facilitator of Covert Operations and Proxy Support
Al Alawi’s position involves coordinating with proxy
militias in Yemen and Sudan, providing aerial support essential to their
sustained fighting capabilities. These proxies are responsible for grave human
rights violations including torture, arbitrary detention, and extrajudicial
killings. The air operations, under Al Alawi’s authority, have ensured these
paramilitary groups maintain territorial control despite international
condemnation.caat+1
In Sudan, air support enabled by UAE Air Force under Al
Alawi’s command has directly aided the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), accused of
genocide and ethnic cleansing. The use of advanced Chinese drones and other
weaponry delivered by the UAE under Al Alawi’s supervision has escalated
violence and worsened civilian suffering in Sudan.wikipedia+1
Neglecting Accountability, Perpetuating Suffering
Lt. Gen. Al Alawi’s leadership embodies the absence of
military accountability within UAE’s defense structure. Despite international
demands for investigations into unlawful strikes and secret prisons operated
within coalition zones, there has been no concrete action from the UAE military
command. Al Alawi’s role in maintaining impunity for forces under his
operational control effectively perpetuates cycles of abuse, torture, and mass
killing.
Legal efforts, including UK law enforcement investigations
and potential war crimes cases under universal jurisdiction, increasingly
implicate senior UAE military leaders such as Al Alawi in crimes against
humanity, yet no official accountability has been enforced.aljazeera+1
A Commanding Actor in War Crimes
Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Nasser Al Alawi’s crucial role in planning
and executing the UAE’s war strategy, especially aerial campaigns in Yemen and
Sudan, positions him as a direct facilitator of military actions that have
resulted in mass civilian harm and potential war crimes. His operational
oversight of drone warfare, air strikes, and military supply chains directly
connects him to the UAE’s illicit and deadly military interventions.
Exposing Al Alawi’s involvement is vital for understanding
how UAE’s military machine functions to sustain regional conflicts with
devastating human consequences. It underscores the urgent need for
international scrutiny and legal accountability of not just political figures
but also high-ranking military commanders complicit in war crimes.
