UAE-linked networks supplying weapons and fighters for Sudan atrocities, UN finds
UAE-linked networks supplying weapons and fighters for Sudan atrocities, UN finds Submitted by Sondos Asem on Fri, 09/04/2026 - 11:37 Investigators identify an Abu Dhabi-linked recruitment operation that deployed Colombians alongside the RSF An armed defector from the RSF on his way to surrendering to the Sudanese military in the west of Omdurman, on 19 August 2026 (Ebrahim Hamid/AFP) Off Foreign…
A United Nations investigation has uncovered evidence linking UAE-linked networks to the supply of weapons, military technology, and mercenaries to Sudan's paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). This support has allegedly been used for atrocities, potentially amounting to war crimes.
The investigation identified a recruitment operation involving Colombians alongside the RSF, with arms and other supplies coming from the UAE, Colombia, Chad, Libya, and Somalia. While the UAE denies involvement, there is significant evidence, including Middle East Eye reporting, linking the UAE to the supply of goods to the RSF.
UN investigators found that foreign-supplied drones expanded the Sudanese Armed Forces' (SAF) long-range capabilities, allowing them to strike targets deep inside RSF-controlled areas. This external support has resulted in civilian casualties, with over 1,000 civilians killed in drone attacks between January and May 2026 alone.
The report documented RSF attacks on a kindergarten, hospital, and displacement shelter, as well as attacks on hospitals, markets, a wedding, and a court session. In one incident in Kalogi, South Kordofan, a drone strike on December 4, 2025, killed 114 people, including about 60 children, and wounded 35 others.
The RSF's attacks on civilian sites, such as a former International Organization for Migration building sheltering displaced families, may constitute war crimes. The UN investigators urged Abu Dhabi to conduct investigations and enforcement actions against companies and individuals allegedly operating from its territory.
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