Sudan accuses Abu Dhabi of deploying Colombian mercenaries

Thursday 04 September 2025 - 08:15

By: Sahili Aya

Sudan accuses Abu Dhabi of deploying Colombian mercenaries

The Sudanese government, backed by the national army, has accused the United Arab Emirates (UAE) of sponsoring and financing Colombian mercenaries to fight alongside the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), the paramilitary group at the heart of Sudan’s ongoing conflict.

Since April 2023, clashes between the Sudanese army and the RSF have killed tens of thousands of people and displaced millions, creating what the United Nations describes as the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. The conflict has long been shadowed by allegations of foreign interference, with Abu Dhabi repeatedly accused of supporting the RSF — claims it has consistently denied despite UN reports pointing to such involvement.

In a statement issued on Monday, Sudan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs declared that it possessed “all the documents and evidence proving the involvement of mercenaries from Colombia and neighboring countries, under the sponsorship and financing of the UAE.”

Reports of foreign fighters in Sudan are not new. UN experts confirmed that Colombian mercenaries were first observed in late 2024 in the Darfur region. This week, the Joint Forces — a coalition of armed groups allied with the Sudanese army — claimed that more than 80 Colombian mercenaries were identified in RSF ranks in El-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, still held by the army. According to the coalition, several of these fighters, allegedly operating drones and coordinating artillery strikes, were killed during recent battles.

On Sunday, the Sudanese army released videos purporting to show “foreign mercenaries, presumed to be Colombians.” The authenticity of these recordings could not be independently verified. On Monday, Sudanese officials announced that they had shared their evidence with the UN Security Council.

A recent UN report described “credible accusations” of Colombian mercenaries fighting alongside the RSF. In December, according to Sudan’s state news agency SUNA, the Colombian government expressed regret “for the participation of some of its citizens in the war.”