by 
Sudan’s air force destroyed a United Arab Emirates (UAE) aircraft carrying Colombian mercenaries as it landed at Nyala airport in Darfur, a region controlled by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), according to army-aligned Sudanese state television. The attack, which took place late on Wednesday, August 6, 2025, resulted in the deaths of at least 40 people, the broadcaster reported.A military source, speaking anonymously to AFP, confirmed that the UAE plane was “bombed and completely destroyed” at Nyala airport, which has been repeatedly targeted by Sudanese army airstrikes amid the ongoing conflict with the RSF since April 2023. The aircraft, which reportedly took off from a Gulf airbase, was carrying dozens of foreign fighters and military equipment intended for the RSF, which controls most of Darfur.
There was no immediate comment from the RSF, while an Emirati official, quoted by AFP, denounced the allegations as false. The UAE’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement rejecting claims of involvement in Sudan’s civil war, calling them “unfounded allegations” and part of a “campaign of disinformation” by Sudan’s government.[
Colombian President Gustavo Petro responded to the incident via a post on X, stating that his government is investigating the number of Colombian nationals killed and exploring options to repatriate their bodies. Petro condemned mercenary activities, describing them as “a trade in men turned into commodities to kill,” and announced plans to push for legislation banning mercenarism in Colombia. He also instructed Colombia’s ambassador in Egypt to verify the death toll.[
The Sudanese army, led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, has long accused the UAE of supplying advanced weaponry, including drones, to the RSF through Nyala airport. These claims have been supported by satellite imagery from Yale University’s Humanitarian Research Lab, which revealed Chinese-made long-range drones at the airport. Despite these reports, Abu Dhabi has consistently denied providing support to the RSF.
Reports of Colombian mercenaries in Darfur, many of whom are former soldiers and guerrillas, have surfaced since late 2024 and were confirmed by UN experts. The Colombian newspaper *La Silla Vacía* reported that over 300 former Colombian soldiers, known as the “Desert Wolves,” arrived in Sudan in 2024 to bolster the RSF. This week, the Joint Forces, a pro-army coalition in Darfur, claimed that over 80 Colombian mercenaries were fighting alongside the RSF in El-Fasher, the last Darfur state capital still under army control. The Sudanese army also released unverified video footage allegedly showing Colombian fighters.
In December 2024, Colombia’s Foreign Ministry expressed regret over its citizens’ involvement in Sudan’s conflict and established a response group to facilitate their return. Colombian mercenaries have previously been hired by the UAE for operations in Yemen and the Gulf.
Sudan’s civil war, now in its third year, has killed tens of thousands, displaced 13 million people, and triggered the world’s worst hunger and displacement crisis. The UN’s World Food Programme has warned that thousands of families trapped in El-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, face starvation, exacerbated by a recent cholera outbreak in the region.
