Sudan army: ‘40+ Colombian mercenaries killed as RSF-bound Emirati aircraft destroyed in Nyala’

The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) claim to have destroyed an Emirati aircraft carrying “mercenaries and military equipment destined for the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF),” as it landed in the South Darfur capital of Nyala, which has been under RSF control since April 2023. Both SAF and Emirati sources have subsequently denied the claims.

In a broadcast on state-controlled TV yesterday, the SAF say that an airstrike by the Sudanese Air Force targeted the Emirati aircraft that had taken off from the Gulf. They claim that “at least 40 Colombian mercenaries” died in the attack, which also destroyed “consignments of weapons and equipment intended for the RSF”.

Nyala airport, which has served as a supply hub for the RSF, who took control of the area in April, and the 16^th Infantry Division HQ and the airport in October 2023. Since then, the SAF has carried out repeated airstrikes.

As previously reported by Radio Dabanga, the Joint Force of Armed Movements and the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) say that they repelled an attack launched by the RSF on the North Darfur capital of El Fasher at the weekend, during which “a number of foreigners were killed, including a commander of the RSF, who holds Colombian citizenship”.

There have been reports, verified by UN experts, of Colombian mercenaries, allegedly sponsored by the UAE, being active in Darfur since last year. The Colombian newspaper La Silla Vacía has carried reports, pictures, and videos of Colombian mercenaries allegedly working for the RSF in Darfur, and ‘training child soldiers‘ in Sudan’. La Silla Vacía previously said that more than 300 former Colombian soldiers arrived in Sudan to reinforce the RSF in 2024 “through a transnational operation of mercenaries, who call themselves “Desert Wolves.”

In a post on the X platform following the latest reports, Colombian President Gustavo Petro says his government is trying to find out how many Colombians died in the attack, and is exploring repatriation of their bodies. Former Colombian soldiers and guerrillas, turned mercenary, have appeared in several global conflicts and were previously used by the UAE for operations in Yemen and the Gulf. President Petro posts that he is hoping to ban “a trade in men turned into commodities to kill.”

Radio Dabanga was unable to independently verify the latest claims, and although they have been widely reported, the SAF, RSF, and UAE had not responded to initial requests for comment.

Both the RSF, as well as Emirati sources, have subsequently refuted and denied the SAF claims. In a statement broadcast on Sudan TV on Saturday, August 9, the RSF dismissed the SAF claims as “completely baseless allegations, and part of the media war…” Separately, en Emirati official, on condition of anonymity, said: “These allegations are completely false, lack evidence, and are a continuation of a systematic campaign of misinformation and distortion.”*

UAE flights suspended

As covered previously by Radio Dabanga, the UAE has reportedly suspended flights to and from Sudan as of yesterday morning, a move that comes after the Sudanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs accused the Gulf country of supplying its rival, the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), with foreign mercenaries.

Passengers at Port Sudan International Airport told Radio Dabanga that Sudanese carrier Badr Airlines cancelled its scheduled flight to Dubai early Wednesday morning, informing travellers only after they had arrived at the departure lounge.

Conflicting reports initially emerged regarding the scope of the ban. While some sources indicated it applied to all carriers on the route, others claimed it targeted only Sudanese airlines such as Badr and Tarco.

Sudan’s Civil Aviation Authority (SCAA) later issued a statement, seen by Radio Dabanga, confirming it was “surprised” by the Emirati decision to ban Sudanese carriers from landing.

* This article was updated at 13:00 on Sunday, August 10, to reflect that both the RSF, as well as Emirati sources, have since refuted and denied the SAF claims.