The Sudanese army announced on 6/8 that it had "bombed and completely destroyed" a United Arab Emirates (UAE) aircraft at Nyala airport in the Darfur region of western Sudan, according to AFP. The airport is controlled by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and has been the target of repeated attacks by the Sudanese army.
Sudanese national television later reported that the attack killed at least 40 people. "The aircraft took off from a military base in the Gulf, carrying dozens of Colombian mercenaries and military equipment for the RSF," the broadcaster stated.
Neither the RSF nor UAE officials have commented on the reports.
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Sudanese soldiers patrol in Salha, south of Omdurman, in May. Photo: AFP |
Sudanese soldiers patrol in Salha, south of Omdurman, in May. Photo: AFP
The Sudanese army has long accused the UAE of supplying the RSF with advanced weaponry, including drones, via Nyala airport. Abu Dhabi denies the allegations, despite reports from UN experts, US officials, and international organizations suggesting otherwise.
On 4/8, the Sudanese government accused the UAE of recruiting Colombian mercenaries to fight for the RSF, claiming to have documentation to support the accusation. Reports of Colombian fighters in Darfur have circulated since late 2024 and have been corroborated by UN experts.
The Allied Forces, a coalition supporting the Sudanese army in Darfur, reported this week that more than 80 Colombian mercenaries are fighting for the RSF in El-Fasher, the last state capital held by the army in Darfur. The RSF currently controls most of the region.
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Location of Nyala airport. Graphic: Wikimedia |
Location of Nyala airport. Graphic: Wikimedia
Colombian mercenaries, many of them former soldiers, have been involved in conflicts worldwide. They have reportedly been hired by the UAE to fight in Yemen and the Gulf region. In 10/2024, the Sudanese government stated that the Colombian Ministry of Foreign Affairs "expressed regret" over the participation of some of its citizens in the Sudanese conflict.
The civil war in Sudan erupted two years ago due to a power struggle between the Sudanese army and the RSF, two forces that previously cooperated to overthrow the transitional government led by Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok in 2021.
The conflict has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths, displaced 13 million people, and caused a severe humanitarian crisis in Sudan.
Pham Giang (According to AFP)
