KUALA LUMPUR: A report circulated in Malaysia has warned that foreign logistical, financial and military networks are helping prolong Sudan’s war by strengthening the Rapid Support Forces, or RSF, the paramilitary group fighting the Sudanese Armed Forces since April 2023.
The report, prepared by the Sudanese Armed Forces and circulated by the Embassy of Sudan in Malaysia, presents the allegations as part of Khartoum’s wider effort to explain what it describes as external interference undermining Sudan’s sovereignty, stability and territorial integrity.
RSF is a powerful paramilitary force led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, widely known as Hemedti. The group emerged from armed formations linked to earlier conflicts in Darfur before becoming one of Sudan’s most influential security actors after the fall of former president Omar al-Bashir.
Tensions between the RSF and the Sudanese Armed Forces escalated into full-scale war in April 2023, triggering one of the world’s gravest humanitarian crises. The conflict has devastated large parts of Sudan, displaced millions of people and raised international concern over the collapse of state institutions, civilian protection and humanitarian access.
According to the Sudanese Armed Forces report, the United Arab Emirates allegedly provided sustained support to the RSF before and after the outbreak of the war. The allegations, which could not be independently verified, include claims of military supplies, logistical facilitation, financial backing, political support and media efforts to improve the RSF’s image locally, regionally and internationally.
The UAE has repeatedly denied supporting either side in Sudan’s war and has said it backs diplomatic and humanitarian efforts aimed at ending the conflict.
The report alleges that support to the RSF moved through several regional routes, including land corridors crossing neighbouring countries, particularly Chad and the Central African Republic. It also claims that civilian cargo aircraft, temporary landing strips and transit points in nearby states were used to move weapons, ammunition, drones, fuel and military equipment into Sudan.
The report further claims that eastern Libya became a major logistical hub for the RSF, especially areas around Kufra, where fighters, combat vehicles, ammunition and other military supplies were allegedly assembled before being moved through Chad into Sudan.
It alleges that from January 2025 until the date of the report, more than 20,000 fighters were mobilised, thousands of combat vehicles and supply trucks were delivered, around 120 drones were supplied, and electronic warfare and jamming systems were transferred to RSF-linked forces.
The Sudanese Armed Forces report also claims that more than 160 cargo aircraft carrying military equipment were monitored arriving at Kufra Airport from several regional airports. It names actors it says were involved in facilitating these movements, including units linked to the Libyan National Army, armed formations in the Kufra region, local collaborators, Chadian opposition factions based in southern Libya, and elements affiliated with Sudanese armed movements operating in border areas.
The report also alleges that foreign mercenaries, including Colombians, were involved in training RSF forces and providing expertise in artillery operations, communications systems and reconnaissance equipment.
Beyond the military dimension, the report accuses external actors of seeking strategic influence in Sudan through access to gold, ports and agricultural land. It argues that Sudan’s location between the Red Sea, the Horn of Africa and the Sahel has made the country vulnerable to proxy competition and regional power struggles.
For Malaysia, the Sudan war is not merely a distant African conflict. Kuala Lumpur has maintained diplomatic ties with Sudan and has repeatedly called for an end to the fighting, protection of civilians and unhindered humanitarian access. Malaysia also evacuated its citizens from Sudan after the war erupted, reflecting direct concern over the country’s deteriorating security situation.
The allegations are likely to resonate with Malaysia’s broader diplomatic position, which generally emphasises sovereignty, non-interference, peaceful settlement of disputes and rejection of actions that prolong armed conflicts. In this context, the Sudanese Armed Forces report frames the war not only as an internal struggle for power, but also as a conflict allegedly fuelled by outside support.
The report recommends stronger international action against the use of mercenaries, closer monitoring of alleged foreign support to the RSF, and greater diplomatic engagement with neighbouring countries accused of facilitating supply routes. It also calls for regional and international support for Sudan’s unity, sovereignty and stability, while rejecting partition and foreign intervention.
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