Sudan's army chief Yasser al-Atta has accused fighters from northern Somalia, Ethiopia, Niger and other countries of joining foreign mercenaries fighting alongside the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), without providing evidence for the claims.
KHARTOUM (Somali Report) — Sudan's army chief of staff, General Yasser al-Atta, has accused fighters from northern Somalia of joining foreign mercenaries fighting alongside the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Sudan's ongoing civil war.
Al-Atta made the remarks on Sunday, November 1, 2026, during an address to military units in the capital, Khartoum, as government forces continue their campaign against the RSF, which has been fighting Sudan's regular army for more than three years.
A summary of his speech, published by the Sudanese Armed Forces on its official X account in Arabic and English, specifically mentioned northern Somalia among several countries and territories from which he alleged foreign fighters had travelled to support the paramilitary group.
"We are heading towards fighting thousands of mercenaries belonging to the militia of the Dagalo family, who have come from countries including Niger, South Sudan, Ethiopia, northern Somalia and Colombia," al-Atta said, according to the published summary.
Sudan's state news agency, SUNA, also reported the remarks, in which the military chief vowed that government forces would continue fighting the RSF.
However, the published summary did not provide details about the alleged fighters from northern Somalia, including their number, specific areas of origin or how they had travelled to Sudan.
The reference to thousands of mercenaries appeared to cover foreign fighters from all the countries mentioned, rather than indicating that thousands had come specifically from northern Somalia.
The military statement also provided no evidence to substantiate the allegation and did not identify any particular Somali administration or political authority as being responsible for recruiting, organising or sending fighters to Sudan.
The remarks could draw attention to the possible involvement of individuals from the Horn of Africa in Sudan's conflict, although the claims about their participation have not been independently verified.
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In the same address, al-Atta sought to distinguish the army's military campaign from any broader confrontation with Sudanese ethnic communities, saying its operations were not directed against particular tribes or populations.
"We will continue our fight, and it is not against tribes or communities living in particular regions of our country," he said.
He described Darfur and Kordofan as territories of great importance to Sudan, adding that all communities living there were valued by the country.
The army chief also said government forces did not intend to retaliate against civilians for atrocities he accused the RSF of committing during the conflict.
Al-Atta further accused leaders of the United Arab Emirates and Israel's intelligence agency, Mossad, of being involved in what he described as conspiracies against Sudan, without providing supporting evidence in the published summary.
The UAE has repeatedly denied allegations that it supports the RSF and says it backs efforts to end the conflict, protect civilians and deliver humanitarian assistance to those in need.
Sudan's war erupted on April 15, 2023, following a power struggle between the army, led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the RSF, commanded by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, widely known as Hemedti.
The conflict has devastated large parts of the country, displaced millions of people and triggered one of the world's most severe humanitarian crises, with civilians facing widespread hunger, violence and the collapse of essential services, according to the United Nations.
About the Author
Ahmed Omar is a senior journalist for Somali Report, based in Mogadishu. He has two decades of experience reporting on Somalia for international and local media. He covers politics, security, governance, business, trade, economic developments and regional affairs.
