In a striking revelation, Human Rights Watch (HRW) has accused the United Arab Emirates of acting as a transit point for Colombian mercenaries sent to Sudan to assist the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). These mercenaries have reportedly taken part in war crimes during the ongoing civil conflict that erupted on April 15, 2023.

According to the HRW report, mercenaries were recruited by a UAE-based company and transited through Emirati military bases before being deployed to the conflict zones in Sudan, particularly in the Darfur region. This evidence raises serious questions about the UAE's role in supplying support to the RSF, a group infamous for committing atrocities, including extrajudicial killings and sexual violence.

The UAE has vehemently denied these allegations, asserting it does not allow its territory to be used for the recruitment, training, or transit of foreign fighters. The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated: "The UAE does not permit its territory to be used for the recruitment, training, financing or transit of foreign fighters to any conflict, including Sudan."

HRW's investigation, conducted through interviews with mercenaries and an analysis of social media content, uncovered that several airports in the UAE were utilized as transit points before these fighters moved to the frontline in Sudan. Mercenaries reported that their movements were facilitated discreetly, with one stating, “They didn’t stamp our passports... There was a bus waiting for us to take us to a military base.”

The Colombian government has also been drawn into the controversy, with President Gustavo Petro previously labeling these mercenaries as "spectres of death." He described their recruitment as a "form of human trafficking," emphasizing the gravity of the situation.

As reported, these mercenaries have been involved in various roles, including being infantrymen, drone pilots, and artillerymen for the RSF. The HRW report mentions specific instances of violence where foreign fighters were present during massacres but did not directly participate in the killings.

Furthermore, there have been findings of munitions linked to the UAE armed forces discovered alongside detained mercenaries in Sudan, further implicating Emirati involvement in the conflict.

As this situation continues to unfold, HRW has called for urgent action from the United Nations, the African Union, and governments, especially in the U.S. and the UK, to address the UAE's alleged complicity in the Sudanese civil war. The conflict has resulted in over 150,000 deaths and displacing more than 12.9 million people, highlighting the dire humanitarian situation in the region.