Sudan: Colombians Linked to Atrocities Trained in UAE Bases

Key Points:

• Colombian private military contractors, hired by a UAE-based company, have been deployed to Sudan to support the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which have committed widespread atrocities including killings, rape, and recruitment of child soldiers.
• Evidence shows these contractors transited through UAE military bases for training and deployment, implicating the UAE in providing military support to the RSF despite official denials of involvement beyond humanitarian aid.
• The UAE-based security company Global Security Services Group (GSSG), linked to senior UAE officials, orchestrated the recruitment and deployment of these contractors, violating UN arms embargoes on Darfur.
• Human Rights Watch calls for international investigations into the UAE and GSSG’s role, urging the UN Security Council and other governments to impose sanctions and suspend military cooperation with the UAE to stop its support for the RSF.
• The report highlights the urgent need for accountability to prevent further war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by the RSF with backing from foreign private military actors and state actors.