Sudan suspends pan-Arab TV stations amid strained ties

Sudan has suspended three pan-Arab TV stations, accusing them of "unprofessional reporting and harmful publishing".

The stations - United Arab Emirates (UAE)-owned Sky News Arabia and Saudi-owned Al Arabiya and Al Hadath - have reported extensively on Sudan's year-long civil war.

The suspension was prompted by the broadcasters' "lack of commitment to the required professionalism and transparency" and failure to renew their licences, Information Minister Minister Graham Abdel Gader was quoted by Sudanese media as saying.

Sky News Arabia’s suspension also stemmed from "harmful publishing", according to the Paris-based Sudan Tribune.

Both Al Hadath and Al Arabiya said they were not officially informed of the suspension and regularly renew their licences.

Relations between Sudan and the UAE have deteriorated after the Sudanese army and Western media accused the UAE of supplying weapons to the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

The Sudanese Journalists Syndicate (SJS) called the media suspensions a "clear violation of freedom of expression and the press".