Reuters: Ethiopia is setting up a secret training camp for Rapid Support Forces fighters with funding and support from the UAE.

Khartoum, February 10, 2026 – Reuters revealed on Tuesday credible information indicating that Ethiopia is hosting a training camp for thousands of fighters from the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which are engaged in clashes with the Sudanese army, with funding and support from the United Arab Emirates. This report, supported by satellite imagery and Ethiopian sources, aligns with previous Sudan Tribune reports about RSF activity within Ethiopian borders, aimed at opening a new front in the Blue Nile region bordering Sudan. According to the Reuters report, this camp is direct evidence of Ethiopia’s involvement in the Sudanese internal conflict, a dangerous development given the bolstering of the RSF with new fighters amidst escalating fighting in South Sudan. Eight sources, including a senior Ethiopian government official, indicated that the UAE was responsible for funding the camp’s establishment and providing military trainers and logistical support for the site. This claim was also corroborated by a memo from Ethiopian security services and a diplomatic cable obtained by Reuters. However, the agency was unable to independently verify the UAE’s role or the project’s objectives. The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs has denied any involvement in the Sudanese conflict or any contribution to military operations. Reuters contacted 15 people familiar with the details of the camp and its operations, including Ethiopian diplomats and officials, and analyzed satellite imagery of the area. These sources, including two Ethiopian intelligence officials and satellite imagery, provided information supporting the security reports and diplomatic memos. This report is the first to detail the massive scale of the site and the UAE's stance on it. Satellite imagery shows that the project's activity has increased significantly since last October, with a drone control center being set up at a nearby airport. Satellite images indicate that the intense activity is concentrated in the Benishangul-Gumuz region of western Ethiopia, near the border with Sudan. Despite mounting evidence, spokespeople for the Ethiopian government, the Ethiopian military, and the Rapid Support Forces have not commented on the details of this report. Earlier in January, the UAE and Ethiopia issued a joint statement calling for a ceasefire in Sudan and praising relations between the two countries. According to a memo from Ethiopian security services, some 4,300 Rapid Support Forces (RSF) fighters were participating in military training at the camp by early January, with the UAE providing them with logistical and military support. The Sudanese military has previously accused the UAE of supplying the RSF with weapons—an accusation supported by some UN experts and US lawmakers. Abu Dhabi has maintained close ties with the government of Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed since he took office in 2018, and the two countries have demonstrated increasing military cooperation in recent years. According to official estimates and testimonies from senior officials, the majority of recruits at the camp are Ethiopian, with some South Sudanese and Sudanese nationals also present. Specifically, sources indicated that some belong to the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N), a rebel group that controls parts of Blue Nile State. However, a SPLM-N leader denied the presence of any of its members in Ethiopia. Officials reported that hundreds of recruits recently crossed the border to support the RSF in its battles in Blue Nile State. The security memo confirmed that General Getachew Gudina, head of the Ethiopian National Defense Force's Defense Intelligence Directorate, played a pivotal role in establishing the camp. Getachew did not respond to journalists' requests for comment. According to aerial analysis and diplomatic documents, the camp is located in a remote area known as Menge, approximately 32 kilometers from the Sudanese border. Development of the area, involving clearing brush and constructing small buildings, began last April, but activity increased significantly in the second half of October.