Sudan’s government has accused the United Arab Emirates of financing and deploying foreign mercenaries including Colombians and fighters from neighboring African nations to support the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in the country’s ongoing civil war.
In a statement released Monday, Sudan’s foreign ministry claimed to possess “irrefutable evidence” that Emirati authorities sponsored and funded these fighters. However, the statement did not provide specific proof or name the African countries allegedly involved.
“This unprecedented phenomenon poses a serious threat to peace and security in the region and across the continent,” the ministry said, alleging that hundreds of thousands of mercenaries have been recruited from across Africa.
UAE Rejects Accusations
Responding via email, the UAE’s foreign ministry firmly denied the allegations, calling them “categorically false.” The statement emphasized that the UAE has not backed any armed groups in Sudan and described the claims as an attempt to derail peace efforts.
“These claims are merely attempts to derail the peace process and evade the moral, legal, and humanitarian obligations to end the conflict,” the UAE’s media office stated, reaffirming the country’s support for a transitional process that reflects the aspirations of the Sudanese people.
Colombian authorities have not yet issued a response.
Conflict Background and Humanitarian Crisis
Sudan’s civil war erupted in April 2023, beginning in the capital Khartoum and quickly spreading nationwide amid escalating tensions between the RSF and the Sudanese army. The conflict has claimed over 40,000 lives, displaced approximately 12 million people, and driven many to the brink of famine.
Sudan has previously accused the UAE of supplying weapons to the RSF claims the Gulf nation has consistently denied. In November, Amnesty International reported that Sudanese forces had seized armored vehicles manufactured in the UAE and outfitted with French defense systems. At the time, the UAE dismissed the report, calling it part of a “coordinated disinformation campaign.”
Both the RSF and Sudanese military have faced international condemnation for alleged atrocities, including ethnic cleansing, extrajudicial killings, and sexual violence against civilians, including children.
