The United Arab Emirates is reportedly recruiting young Somalis from the semi-autonomous Puntland region and deploying them to Sudan’s conflict-ridden Darfur region under the control of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), according to undisclosed sources familiar with the operation.

The recruits are reportedly promised monthly salaries ranging from $500 to $1,500, with the primary deployments focused on RSF-held territories in Darfur. These revelations raise questions over the UAE’s involvement in Sudan’s complex civil war and the exploitation of vulnerable Somali communities facing limited economic opportunities.

The UAE’s ties to various armed actors in Sudan, including alleged support for the RSF, have been under increasing international scrutiny. Deploying Somali nationals to Sudan, particularly in RSF-controlled areas infamous for human rights abuses, further complicates the UAE’s position in the region.

Human rights organizations have previously criticized the practice of recruiting vulnerable youth from impoverished communities in the Horn of Africa for security operations in volatile areas across the Middle East and North Africa.