UAE linked to Colombian mercenaries fighting in Sudan war
A new report by Human Rights Watch has accused the United Arab Emirates of training Colombian mercenaries before deploying them to fight alongside Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in the country’s ongoing civil war, reports The Associated Press on May 26th.
The report, released on May 26th, adds to growing international allegations that the UAE has provided military and financial support to the RSF, a paramilitary force repeatedly accused of committing war crimes, crimes against humanity and acts of genocide during the conflict in Sudan. Emirati officials have strongly denied the accusations.
According to Human Rights Watch, hundreds of Colombian fighters were reportedly trained at military facilities in Abu Dhabi and the Al Dhafra region before being sent to Sudan. The organization said it interviewed Colombian mercenaries and former military officers who described operations linked to the RSF in Darfur and other conflict zones.
One unnamed mercenary claimed he helped train RSF recruits around Nyala in South Darfur, including what he described as “young children.” A separate UN panel of experts previously reported that Colombian fighters had operated drones, artillery systems and armored vehicles for the RSF in several parts of Sudan, including Khartoum and Darfur.
Sudan has been engulfed in war since April 2023, when tensions between the Sudanese military and the RSF escalated into open conflict. The RSF emerged from the Janjaweed militias, which became notorious for atrocities committed during the Darfur conflict in the early 2000s.
Human Rights Watch said videos verified by the group appeared to show Colombian fighters participating in RSF operations during the capture of el-Fasher in Darfur last year. UN-commissioned experts said the assault bore “the hallmarks of genocide,” with at least 6,000 people reportedly killed over three days.
The UAE foreign ministry rejected the claims, stating that Emirati territory is not used to recruit or train foreign fighters for conflicts abroad. Meanwhile, Human Rights Watch has called on governments, including the European Union, to suspend arms sales and military cooperation with the UAE until support for the RSF ends.
According to conflict monitor ACLED, at least 59,000 people have been killed since the war began, though the real figure is believed to be far higher.
The Associated Press, Maghrebi.org
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