ETHIOPIA is hosting a clandestine military training camp for thousands of fighters from Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces paramilitary group, according to a Reuters investigation that marks the first direct evidence of Ethiopian involvement in Sudan’s devastating civil war.
The camp, located in Ethiopia’s remote western Benishangul-Gumuz region near the Sudanese border, represents a potentially dangerous escalation that could provide the RSF with a substantial supply of fresh soldiers as fighting intensifies in southern Sudan, Reuters reports.
According to Reuters, eight sources – including a senior Ethiopian government official – said the United Arab Emirates financed the camp’s construction and is providing military trainers and logistical support to the site. This assertion is corroborated by an internal note from Ethiopia’s security services and a diplomatic cable reviewed by the news agency.
As of early January, approximately 4,300 RSF fighters were undergoing military training at the site, with their logistical and military supplies being provided by the UAE, according to the Ethiopian security services note obtained by Reuters.
Satellite Imagery Shows Rapid Development
Reuters reports that satellite imagery shows activity at the camp picked up significantly in October, with the site carved from forested land in the Menge district, approximately 20 miles from the Sudanese border. The camp sits strategically at the intersection of Ethiopia, Sudan, and South Sudan.
A diplomatic cable dated November described the camp as having a capacity of up to 10,000 fighters, noting that activity began in October with the arrival of dozens of Land Cruisers, heavy trucks, RSF units, and UAE trainers, according to Reuters.
International Implications
The UAE foreign ministry denied involvement when contacted by Reuters, stating it was not a party to the conflict or involved in hostilities. However, Reuters notes that Sudan’s army has previously accused the UAE of supplying weapons to the RSF, claims that UN experts and US lawmakers have found credible.
According to Reuters, the camp’s recruits are primarily Ethiopians, but also include citizens from South Sudan and Sudan, including members of the SPLM-N, a Sudanese rebel group controlling territory in Sudan’s Blue Nile state. Six officials told Reuters the recruits are expected to join RSF forces battling Sudanese soldiers in Blue Nile, with two officials saying hundreds had already crossed the border in recent weeks.
Ethiopian General Named
Reuters reports that the internal security note identified General Getachew Gudina, Chief of the Defence Intelligence Department of the Ethiopian National Defence Force, as responsible for establishing the camp. A senior Ethiopian government official and four diplomatic and security sources confirmed Getachew’s role to Reuters. Getachew did not respond to requests for comment, according to the news agency.
Ethiopia’s government spokesperson, its army, and the RSF did not respond to detailed requests for comment about the findings, Reuters reports. The Sudanese Armed Forces also did not respond.
UAE-Ethiopia Military Alliance
According to Reuters, the UAE has been a strong supporter of Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s government since he took office in 2018. The news agency reports that months after Abiy rose to power, the UAE pledged $3 billion in aid and investments, with $1 billion destined for Ethiopia’s central bank to ease the country’s foreign currency shortage.
Reuters notes that in 2025, the UAE and Ethiopian air forces signed a memorandum of understanding to develop both nations’ air and defence capabilities.
Sudan’s Civil War Context
Sudan’s civil war erupted in 2023 following a power struggle between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the RSF ahead of a planned transition to civilian rule, Reuters reports. The conflict has spread famine, been marked by racially-charged atrocities, and forced millions of refugees to flee to Egypt, Chad, Libya, and South Sudan, according to the news agency.
Reuters spoke to 15 sources familiar with the camp’s construction and operations for this investigation, including Ethiopian officials and diplomats, and analysed satellite imagery of the area.
