Reuters: Secret Rapid Support Forces training camp in Ethiopia funded by the UAE
Informed sources revealed to Reuters new and exciting details regarding the military and logistical support received by the Rapid Support Forces in Sudan, indicating the existence of a secret training camp in neighboring Ethiopia that is funded and managed with direct Emirati support.
According to an internal memo seen by the agency, Ethiopia is building a secret training camp for Rapid Support Forces fighters. Sources confirmed that the UAE has provided specialized military trainers to oversee training operations at this site. These leaks reinforce accusations repeatedly made by the Sudanese army that external parties are fueling the internal conflict.
Camp details and logistical support
Information published by Reuters revealed that the UAE-funded camp in Ethiopia not only provides physical training but also includes advanced military equipment. The data indicates the following:
- The presence of a drone control center inside the camp indicates the transfer of modern technologies to the battlefield.
- 4,300 Rapid Support Forces received
- Trucks bearing the logos of Emirati companies have been spotted regularly visiting the camp in Ethiopia, directly linking supply lines.
Background to the conflict in Sudan: a humanitarian and military crisis
These developments come at a time when Sudan is embroiled in a brutal war that erupted on April 15, 2023, between the Sudanese army, led by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the Rapid Support Forces, led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemedti). This conflict has led to one of the world's worst humanitarian crises, resulting in the deaths of thousands and the displacement of millions of Sudanese, both within the country and as refugees in neighboring states.
The fighting has turned from clashes in Khartoum into a full-blown war that has spread to Darfur, Kordofan and Al-Jazirah, amid widespread destruction of infrastructure and a collapse of the health system, prompting the international community to sound the alarm about the possibility of a widespread famine.
Regional dimensions and mutual accusations
This report adds a new dimension to the diplomatic tensions in the region. The Sudanese government and its representatives at the United Nations have long accused the UAE of providing military support to the Rapid Support Forces via airports in Chad and Uganda, an accusation Abu Dhabi has repeatedly denied, asserting that its efforts are limited to humanitarian work and supporting refugees.
Furthermore, Ethiopia's involvement in hosting such a training camp—if true—could further complicate the already strained relations between Khartoum and Addis Ababa, especially given the previous disputes over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam and the border conflict in the al-Fashqa region. Observers believe that internationalizing the Sudanese crisis through foreign intervention could prolong the war and make reaching a political solution in the near future even more difficult.
International stance and expert reports
Reuters' findings corroborate previous reports by UN experts, who cited "credible" evidence of weapons flowing from regional countries to both sides of the conflict, violating UN Security Council resolutions imposing an arms embargo on Darfur. The discovery of this camp increases pressure on the international community to take more stringent measures to monitor borders and prevent foreign interference that fuels the war machine in Sudan.
