Phone Tracking Shows Colombian Mercenaries Backed Sudan’s RSF – Report

A Colombian military group receiving support from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) offered essential backing to Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), enabling their capture of the western city of el-Fasher last year, according to a new report. The Conflict Insights Group (CIG) conducted an analysis using mobile phone tracking data to uncover this connection.

UAE Denies Involvement

The UAE has consistently denied supporting the RSF, which has been engaged in conflict with Sudan’s regular army for three years. The fall of el-Fasher was one of the conflict’s most violent episodes, contributing to what is now recognized as the world’s worst humanitarian crisis, with tens of thousands of casualties and millions displaced.

“We are making public what governments have long known—there is a direct link between Abu Dhabi and the RSF,” said CIG director Justin Lynch.

Lynch emphasized that this study is the first to definitively link UAE involvement to the RSF’s actions. “The data shows mercenaries involved in drone operations traveling from a UAE base to Sudan before the RSF seized el-Fasher,” he explained.

Tracking the Mercenaries’ Movements

The CIG employed commercially available technology originally designed for personalized advertising to monitor over 50 mobile devices in Sudan between April 2025 and January this year. These phones were operated by Colombian mercenaries, including those stationed in RSF-controlled areas where drone strikes occurred.

Flight-tracking data and satellite imagery were also used alongside social media videos, news reports, and academic research to build the analysis. The investigation traced a device from Colombia to Abu Dhabi’s Zayad International Airport, connecting it to a UAE military training facility in Ghayathi. Four other phones, configured to Spanish, were found at the site.

Wi-Fi Networks Reveal Ties

Two of the tracked devices later traveled to Sudan’s South Darfur state, while another reached Nyala, the de facto RSF capital. There, the phones logged into wi-fi networks named “ANTIAEREO” and “AirDefense,” both translating to “anti-aircraft” in Spanish. Nyala is highlighted as a major hub for Colombian mercenaries and RSF drone operations.

“The UAE-Colombian mercenary network bears shared responsibility for these outcomes,” the report states.

During the RSF’s takeover of el-Fasher in October, a phone connected to a network called “ATACADOR” (“attacker” in Spanish) was observed in the city. The CIG identified additional devices associated with Colombian fighters during this period, further solidifying the link.

Brigade Details and Human Rights Concerns

The mercenaries operated as part of the Desert Wolves brigade, serving in roles such as drone pilots, artillerymen, and instructors. One device was linked to wi-fi networks named “DRONES” and “LOBOS DEL DISIERTO,” meaning “Desert Wolves” in Spanish, while using Spanish-language settings. The brigade is led by retired Colombian army Colonel Alvaro Quijano.

Colombian President Gustavo Petro previously referred to the mercenaries as “spectres of death” and described their recruitment as a “form of human trafficking.” The BBC has requested a response from the Emirati government to the report’s findings.

Shared Responsibility and Atrocities

The report argues that the scale of violence in el-Fasher would not have been possible without the drone operations facilitated by the mercenaries. The city’s fall was accompanied by mass atrocities, classified as war crimes and crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor. UN investigators noted the events exhibited “hallmarks of genocide.”

CIG analysts agree that foreign military aid to both sides has been pivotal in sustaining and expanding the civil war. The latest findings add to growing evidence of the UAE’s role in the conflict.