UAE accused of training Colombian mercenaries to fight in Sudan

Colombian mercenaries fighting in Sudan were trained at Emirati bases before their deployment to the country, according to a new report by Human Rights Watch. Phone data allegedly shows the route taken by Colombian nationals to Sudan via the United Arab Emirates, and identity documents have been recovered from the battlefield. The investigation concludes that Colombian fighters were present when the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces captured the town of El Fasher, where widespread killings and rape took place last year. Mausi Segun, an executive director at HRW, says that the report “adds to a growing body of evidence” that the UAE supports the RSF. The UAE has repeatedly denied these allegations. Colombia, which has a large number of out-of-work veterans, is the world’s leading exporter of mercenaries.