Africa-Press. Government and intelligence officials have revealed that aerial images show a small airport in southeastern Libya has become a key transit hub for transporting weapons and supplies to Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.
Satellite imagery shows that Kufra airport was refurbished and expanded over the past year, with a sharp increase in cargo flights coinciding with the growing threat posed by the Rapid Support Forces.
The war between the Rapid Support Forces and the Sudanese Armed Forces erupted in April 2023, as both sides fought for control of the government, the economy and Sudan’s natural resources, particularly gold.
The conflict has evolved into one of the deadliest civil wars on the planet, with estimates ranging from 12,000 to 15,000 fatalities, millions displaced and widespread famine across large parts of the country.
The Rapid Support Forces control vast areas of Sudan, especially in the western Darfur region, but struggle to sustain their operations due to logistical challenges, land transport difficulties and international restrictions on arms deals. At the same time, countries with political or strategic interests in Sudan, such as the United Arab Emirates, are believed to be seeking to influence the course of the war through weapons and supplies.
European Copernicus satellite images dated July 12, 2025, first detected increased activity at the airport, showing at least two Russian-made cargo aircraft. Authorities said this points “with a reasonable degree of certainty” to operations involving the transfer of military equipment or “specialized personnel.”
Analyst Jalel Harchaoui wrote on the X platform that this type of evidence serves as a useful reminder that the recent surge in illicit arms shipments to eastern Libya, observed particularly since late May, was orchestrated by the UAE government on behalf of Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces.
The Rapid Support Forces controlled Khartoum until March 2025, when the army regained the capital. Military supplies arriving via this airport, located about 300 kilometers from the Sudanese border, have since helped the group repel the army. These supplies also enabled the Rapid Support Forces to seize the city of El-Fasher in October, consolidating their grip on Darfur.
A United Nations official said the use of the Kufra area by the Rapid Support Forces had “turned the situation upside down,” allowing a steady flow of weapons, fuel and fighters to support the siege of El-Fasher.
The desert region of Kufra is dominated by a Libyan military commander with ties to the UAE. The United Nations says the UAE supports the Rapid Support Forces, although Emirati authorities deny backing either side in the Sudanese conflict.
Since the outbreak of the civil war, regional powers have competed for influence in Sudan, seeking to benefit from its resources and trade routes in the Horn of Africa. Researchers say Egypt, Iran, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia and the UAE back rival factions, while China, Turkey and the UAE have flooded Sudan with modern weapons, prolonging the war.
