Libya and UAE fuel Sudan war with Colombian mercenaries, reports find

Libya and UAE fuel Sudan war with Colombian mercenaries, reports find. A United Nations report and recent security investigations revealed a sophisticated logistical pipeline funnelling Colombian mercenaries and military equipment into Sudan as the civil war enters its fourth year. The U.N. Panel of Experts on Libya found that the Subul al-Salam Battalion facilitated the transfer of foreign fighters and weapons to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The report covers a period of monitoring from October 2024 to February 2026.

The Subul al-Salam Battalion provided the RSF with a rear base 75 kilometres southwest of Kufra. In June 2025, the battalion deployed ground units to escort fighters and deliver fuel. The Sudanese military recently evacuated the Uwaynat border triangle. The Conflict Insights Group (CIG) utilised mobile phone data to establish a link between the United Arab Emirates and the RSF. Justin Lynch, director of the group, stated that "this is the first research where we can prove UAE involvement with certainty." The UAE has consistently rejected these "false and unfounded allegations." The Sudanese military launched airstrikes in November targeting vehicle shipments and foreign fighters inside Libya.

Colombian fighters operated within a unit known as the Desert Wolves brigade. Data shows these units were present during the takeover of El-Fasher in late 2025. The report notes that "the scale of atrocities and siege in El-Fasher wouldn't have happened without the drone operations the mercenaries provided." The Desert Wolves are reportedly led by retired Colombian Colonel Alvaro Quijano, who is based in the UAE. Both the United States and the United Kingdom have imposed