By Matik Kueth
The Sudanese Ambassador to South Sudan, Isam Mohammed Hassan, has accused the United Arab Emirates of arming and supplying the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) with Colombian mercenaries, alleging that the Gulf nation is deliberately aggravating and prolonging country’s civil war.
Addressing a press conference in Juba on Wednesday, Hassan stressed that a shadowy recruitment network is channeling Colombian ex-soldiers into Sudan to fight alongside the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
“We have detained mercenaries who openly admitted they were recruited through Dubai, paid a monthly salary, and promised huge bonuses after their contracts. This conflict would not drag on without such external sponsorship,” Hassan said.
He said the Sudanese forces captured several Colombians who confessed they were earning between $2,000 and $3,500 a month, with the promise of a $10,000 payout at the end of their deployment.
Hassan revealed two companies allegedly orchestrating the scheme including, GSSG, an Emirati firm based in Dubai, and A4SI, a Colombian contractor.
The envoy cited the RSF’s recent assault on Heglig, Sudan’s oil-producing hub, as evidence of growing foreign support.
The attack, carried out on 26 August 2025 with drones, killed at least one civilian and targeted vital energy infrastructure.
“The UAE provides not only money but also advanced weapons and drones. Their actions endanger not just Sudan but the stability of Africa as a whole,” he stated.
Sudan’s military, led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, has struggled to contain the RSF since the conflict erupted in April 2023, but could not manage.
The conflict has killed more than 20,000 people and nearly 15 million displaced, according to United Nations.
Despite the devastation, Hassan insisted that government forces had clawed back more than 85 percent of the country and were restoring enough stability for displaced citizens to begin returning.
He also announced that Khartoum had lodged a formal protest with Colombia’s president, urging an investigation into the alleged mercenary pipeline.
Beyond battlefield claims, the envoy accused RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemedti) of hijacking humanitarian supplies meant for starving civilians.
However, officials from the UAE and the RSF have yet to respond to the alleged claims.
Hassan framed the conflict as an existential struggle not only for Sudan but also for regional economies.
He underscored that South Sudan’s oil exports, which passes through Sudan to reach world markets, are directly threatened by RSF attacks.
The ambassador further noted that Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan is expected participate in the upcoming U.N. General Assembly in New York as proof of growing international recognition of Sudan’s military-led government.