Human Rights Watch has accused the United Arab Emirates of serving as a transit point for Colombian mercenaries recruited to support Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces, a paramilitary group accused of widespread atrocities during the country’s ongoing civil war. The rights organization said mercenaries were recruited through Emirati-linked companies and trained at UAE military installations before being covertly deployed to conflict zones in Sudan’s Darfur region, where mass killings, rape, and looting have been documented. HRW said its findings were based on interviews, social media analysis, and evidence linking UAE-purchased munitions to the conflict. However, Abu Dhabi denied the allegations, stating its territory is not used to recruit, train, or transit foreign fighters. The findings align with separate research by the Conflict Insights Group and follow US sanctions imposed in December 2025 on a network allegedly recruiting former Colombian soldiers for deployment in Sudan.
BBC
