Sudan

UAE Accused of Routing Colombian Mercenaries to Sudan

Is the UAE being scapegoated or is it a silent enabler of the world's worst humanitarian crisis?

Published MAY 26

UAE Accused of Routing Colombian Mercenaries to Sudan

Story

Above: A woman in Sudan's North Darfur state on Nov. 1, 2025. Image credit: Stringer/Anadolu/Getty Images

The Spin

Pro-government narrative

Allegations of UAE involvement in Sudan's conflict are a deflection by the Sudanese Armed Forces from their own war crimes, including attacks on civilians, hospitals, and chemical weapons use. With over $4 billion invested in Sudan over the past decade and another $500 million pledged in humanitarian aid, Abu Dhabi is being scapegoated by a warring party that has prolonged the conflict and inflicted immense suffering on its own people.

Gulf News AllAfrica.com Khaleej Times Rapid Support Forces

Government-critical narrative

The evidence against the UAE is damning — an Abu Dhabi-linked company recruited Colombian mercenaries who transited through Emirati bases before fighting alongside the RSF in Sudan. These contractors trained child soldiers, operated drones and artillery, and were present during mass civilian killings. The international community’s failure to confront or sanction the UAE risks broader complicity in what is already the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.