A major investigative report has shed new light on a hidden military training facility in western Ethiopia, where thousands of fighters belonging to Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary group are reportedly being prepared for combat. The findings represent what analysts describe as the clearest evidence yet of Ethiopia’s direct involvement in the Sudanese civil war.
The training site is situated in the remote Benishangul-Gumuz region, specifically in the Menge district, roughly 32 kilometres from the Sudanese border. Forest clearing at the location reportedly began as early as April 2025, with large-scale tent construction and heavy equipment arriving from October onward. By early January 2026, the facility was believed to be housing around 4,300 active trainees, with a reported capacity of up to 10,000 fighters.
According to multiple officials, diplomats, and internal security documents, the United Arab Emirates played a central financial and logistical role in establishing the camp. The UAE is said to have funded construction, deployed military trainers, and supplied equipment to the site. An internal Ethiopian security memo reviewed by reporters stated that the trainees’ military and logistical needs were being met by Abu Dhabi. The UAE foreign ministry, however, denied any involvement, stating it was not a party to the conflict in any capacity.
The recruits at the facility are reported to include Ethiopian nationals as well as individuals from South Sudan and Sudan. A number of those trained are expected to be deployed in Sudan’s Blue Nile state, an emerging frontline in the broader war. Reports indicate some fighters had already crossed the border in recent weeks to reinforce RSF operations in the region.
An Ethiopian intelligence official, General Getachew Gudina, who heads the Defense Intelligence Department of the Ethiopian National Defense Force, has been identified by multiple sources as the officer overseeing the establishment of the camp. General Getachew did not respond to requests for comment.
Infrastructure developments at Asosa airport, located approximately 53 kilometres from the camp, have also drawn attention. Satellite imagery reportedly shows the construction of new hangars and a ground control station consistent with unmanned aerial vehicle operations, raising questions about the site’s potential role in supplying the RSF across the border.
Ethiopia’s government, its military leadership, and the RSF all declined to comment on the findings. The Sudanese Armed Forces, which have long accused the UAE of arming the RSF, also did not respond to requests for a statement.
Sudan’s civil war erupted in April 2023 following a breakdown in relations between the national army and the RSF during a stalled transition toward civilian governance. The conflict has since driven millions from their homes, triggered famine conditions across parts of the country, and been marked by accounts of ethnically targeted violence. The growing involvement of external powers, including from both Africa and the Gulf, has intensified fears that the war may evolve into a wider regional crisis.
Source: Reuters investigation, published February 10, 2026.
