The Wall Street Journal has revealed that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is fueling chaos and conflict in Sudan by financing the recruitment of mercenaries, gradually turning the local strife into an international war.
At first glance, shaky mobile phone footage from Sudan’s arid Darfur region seemed like typical scenes from the brutal civil war: men in camouflage uniforms standing beside crates of weapons, showing off the spoils of battle.
In one clip, a man examines documents and personal belongings of recently captured prisoners. Speaking in Arabic tinged with a Zaghawa tribal accent, he holds up a passport issued nearly 7,000 miles away by the Colombian government. “Look at this—they are not Sudanese,” he says, adding, “These are the ones killing us.”
These videos provide clear evidence that Sudan’s conflict between the national army and the rebel Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has escalated into a battlefield for multiple foreign powers, drawing fighters and weapons from as far away as Latin America and Europe.
Regional powers have plunged deeper into the conflict, each vying for influence. The UAE supports one side of the conflict, while Egypt backs the other, leading to catastrophic consequences for Sudan’s 48 million people. Many are now facing famine conditions.
At the heart of the conflict lies competition over control of the Red Sea shipping routes, one of Africa’s largest gold reserves, and the disputed waters of the Nile River.
Mercenaries as Tools of Strategic Supremacy
Mercenaries have become a critical tool in achieving strategic dominance. Earlier this year, Colombian fighters captured in Darfur were reportedly hired by Global Security Services Group (GSSG), a UAE-based private security firm. This claim is backed by interviews with more than ten international officials, former Colombian fighters, and an analysis of social media profiles and company websites.
GSSG, which markets itself as the sole provider of armed private security services to the UAE government, lists Emirati ministries—including the Ministry of Presidential Affairs, Ministry of Interior, and Ministry of Foreign Affairs—among its clients.
In Uganda, GSSG trained local forces for counterterrorism operations and VIP protection, reportedly on behalf of the UAE government, according to a Ugandan army spokesperson.
The Colombian recruits were first sent to Libyan territories controlled by warlord Khalifa Haftar before being transported to RSF strongholds in Darfur. Haftar has long enjoyed UAE support, as documented by United Nations reports.
The Wall Street Journal previously reported that the UAE has shipped weapons and other war supplies to the RSF. UN experts have corroborated these claims.
Abu Dhabi, a major hub for Sudan’s official and unofficial gold exports, has voiced concerns about perceived Islamic forces backing the Sudanese army.
Meanwhile, Egypt—on the opposite side of the conflict—seeks Sudan’s support in its dispute with Ethiopia over a massive dam on the Nile River. Although Egypt denies launching airstrikes in Sudan to aid the army, senior Arab officials privately confirm that Egypt has deployed light aircraft to strike RSF positions in Darfur and central Sudan.
Humanitarian Disaster in the Making
The conflict, which began in April 2023, has escalated into what is now widely considered the world’s largest humanitarian crisis. Estimates suggest up to 150,000 deaths, with 25 million people—over half the population—facing hunger crises. One in four Sudanese has been displaced from their homes, and famine has been declared in a Darfur camp hosting 500,000 to 1 million displaced individuals, who have recently been attacked by RSF forces.
The prominent roles of mercenaries and foreign governments risk prolonging civilian suffering in Sudan.
International Recruitment of Mercenaries
Colombia, with its surplus of combat veterans trained in U.S. military tactics, has long been a target for international mercenary recruitment.
A decade ago, the UAE contracted Colombian mercenaries to fight in Yemen’s civil war. In September 2023, a Colombia-based recruiting agency known as International Services Agency (A4SI) began advertising positions for drone operators, cybersecurity specialists, and bodyguards for work in Africa.
Job postings circulated in veteran chat groups offered salaries between $2,600 and $6,000 per month for military-experienced applicants in the Middle East and Africa. A4SI held recruitment sessions across Colombian cities, attracting dozens of veterans. The company sought snipers and Spanish-English translators.
According to Colombian contractors, many of these veterans signed contracts with GSSG, which has collaborated with A4SI for years. However, the contracts reportedly did not mention Sudan or deployment to active war zones, leaving recruits feeling deceived.
UAE’s Role in the Sudanese War
Reports indicate that some 160 Colombian mercenaries passed through Libya to support UAE-backed RSF operations in Sudan. Middle Eastern and African officials confirmed that the UAE’s efforts aim to bolster RSF forces after they lost key positions to the Sudanese army and Egyptian allies around Khartoum and central Sudan.
Meanwhile, the Sudanese army has procured drones from Iran, which the Wall Street Journal previously reported as seeking to establish a naval base on Sudan’s Red Sea coast.
RSF forces now control most of Darfur and are nearing full control of the besieged city of Al-Fashir.
A Failed Mission
In November 2023, evidence of Colombian mercenaries surfaced again when a spokesperson for the Darfur Joint Protection Force, an alliance fighting alongside the Sudanese army, posted videos of captured foreign fighters.
The videos, which included crates of Bulgarian-made mortars, accused the UAE of orchestrating the movement of fighters and weapons through Darfur. Bulgaria’s Ministry of Economy denied issuing export licenses for weapons to Sudan.
Colombian Foreign Minister Álvaro Leyva later discussed the involvement of Colombian contractors with Sudan’s army-backed government. The ministry stated that these ex-soldiers were misled into participating in the war.
Among those implicated was Christian Lombana Moncayo, a retired corporal whose documents were visible in the Darfur videos. He had traveled from Bogotá to Dubai in October, spending weeks in the UAE before being sent to Libya and eventually Sudan.
