A report by the "Reuters" agency, based on satellite images and testimonials from officials, reveals the existence of a "secret camp" in Ethiopia for training thousands of fighters for the Rapid Support Forces fighting the army in Sudan.
Meanwhile, the United Arab Emirates vehemently denied any involvement in the Sudanese conflict, stating that it is not a party to the hostilities in any form.
Emirati Denial
Abu Dhabi denied any participation or providing military support or arms to any of the warring parties in Sudan, and the UAE Foreign Ministry stated that it is not a party to the conflict and does not participate "in any form" in the hostilities.
The UAE previously called for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Sudan, protection of civilians, and resumption of an inclusive political process leading to an independent civilian government free from military control.
Details of the Secret Camp
According to Reuters investigations of satellite images and a diplomatic cable, the camp is located in the remote "Benishangul-Gumuz" region of Ethiopia, which is 32 kilometers from the Sudanese border and 101 kilometers from the Renaissance Dam.
8 sources told Reuters, including a senior Ethiopian government official, that the site accommodated about 4,300 fighters for military training in early January.
The satellite images show significant expansion at the site in the forest area called "Mingi" in recent weeks, including the installation of more than 640 tents and the construction of a terrestrial control center for drones at the nearby "Assosa" airport.
The first signs of activity at the strategic site, at the convergence of Ethiopia and Sudan and South Sudan, began in April with the clearance of the brush and construction of buildings with metal roofs in a small area north of the camp, which began operations in the second half of October.
The diplomatic cable dated November - according to Reuters - described the camp as accommodating 10,000 fighters, and stated that activity began in October with the arrival of dozens of Land Cruiser vehicles and heavy trucks.
6 officials told Reuters that the recruits in the camp are mostly Ethiopians, but there are also citizens from South Sudan and Sudan, including members of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North, a Sudanese rebel group that controls land in the neighboring Blue Nile state. However, a senior leader of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North, requesting anonymity, denied the presence of forces from the group in Ethiopia.
According to a internal security memo cited by Reuters, the head of the National Defense Intelligence Administration of the Ethiopian Defense Forces, General Getachew Jodena, was responsible for establishing the camp.
A senior official in the Ethiopian government and 4 diplomatic and security sources confirmed Getachew's role in launching the project.
Aerial and Logistic Activity
Construction work at the Assosa airport has been observed since August 2025, including a new aircraft hangar and paved areas supporting drone operations.
Reuters quoted military officials and an internal Ethiopian security memo alleging that the UAE provided logistic supplies, although Abu Dhabi had previously strongly denied these allegations, considering any talk of transferring weapons systems through it as "illogical" and lacking credibility.
Spokespersons for the Ethiopian government, the Ethiopian army, and the Rapid Support Forces did not respond to detailed requests for comment on the findings of this report.
The war in Sudan between the army and the Support Forces, which erupted about 3 years ago, resulted in tens of thousands of deaths and displaced more than 10 million people.
