Rights Group Accuses UAE of Being Transit Point for Mercenaries Headed to Sudan

A human rights group has accused the United Arab Emirates of serving as a transit point for mercenaries being funnelled into Sudan's brutal civil war — allegations the UAE has strongly denied.

The report, published by a leading rights organisation, claims that foreign fighters have been moving through UAE territory on their way to join the conflict in Sudan, where a devastating civil war has already killed tens of thousands and displaced millions. The UAE has repeatedly denied any involvement in the conflict, stating that it investigates any alleged links and that it supports diplomatic efforts to end the war.

But the allegations refuse to go away. Sudan's civil war, which erupted in April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces, has drawn in a web of regional and international actors. The flow of weapons, fighters, and resources into the conflict has prolonged the fighting and made a negotiated settlement even more difficult to achieve.

For Latin America and the Global South, the Sudan war is a painful example of how conflicts in the developing world are often fuelled by external actors who face little accountability. Arms embargoes are violated. Mercenaries cross borders. The people who pay the price are always civilians.

The UAE has called the accusations baseless and politically motivated. But the report's authors insist the evidence is clear — and they are calling for an international investigation.

This is Elena Vasquez for Global1 News, reporting from São Paulo. 🇧🇷