Satellite imagery shows Boeing aircraft identified in a U.N. investigation into alleged arms and personnel transfers linked to Sudan's Rapid Support Forces.

UN Experts Say Aircraft Linked to RSF Transported Weapons in Sudan

LONDON/CAIRO — July 29, 2026

A draft United Nations report has concluded that Boeing 727 aircraft linked to a business network previously identified in an investigation transported weapons, drones, fighters and foreign mercenaries to Sudan's Rapid Support Forces (RSF), according to findings scheduled for publication later this year.

The report, prepared by the U.N. Panel of Experts on Sudan, says investigators received information from multiple sources indicating that the aircraft carried military equipment and personnel to areas controlled by the RSF. The panel is responsible for monitoring compliance with the arms embargo imposed on Sudan's Darfur region.

According to the draft report, the aircraft transported RSF fighters, foreign mercenaries, drones and weapons into Darfur. The findings were based on eyewitness accounts from Nyala, the RSF's main logistics hub in Darfur, along with information provided by two U.N. member states.

The report builds on earlier findings that linked three aging Boeing aircraft to a business network associated with former U.S. Army Special Forces soldier and government contractor Steven Shaulis. Previous reporting traced the aircraft between Chad and logistics hubs used by the RSF in Sudan, Libya and Somalia.

The draft report states that three Boeing 727 aircraft operated from the military section of N'Djamena International Airport in Chad after arriving there in late 2024. U.N. investigators said they found no official records showing the aircraft's movements after their arrival and believe deliberate efforts may have been made to avoid detection while flying.

Investigators reported that multiple Boeing 727 aircraft and Ilyushin Il-76 transport planes landed at Nyala during nighttime hours between January and July 2026. The report states that the air route between Chad and Nyala was used to transport fighters, foreign mercenaries and military equipment, including drones and weapons.

Steven Shaulis did not respond to questions about the draft report. He had previously declined to answer questions regarding his companies or the aircraft. The Rapid Support Forces also did not respond to requests for comment.

Contractor Airways, a South African company jointly owned by Shaulis and business partner Craig Munro, purchased two of the Boeing 727 aircraft identified in the report. Munro has previously denied any connection between the company and the RSF and disputed reports that the aircraft operated in Sudan or Libya.

Chad's Civil Aviation Authority said the Boeing aircraft were not authorized to operate from Chad and noted that military aviation is outside its responsibility. Chad's foreign minister previously said questions regarding the aircraft were subject to defense secrecy and maintained that the country's role in the conflict was limited to diplomatic efforts.

The draft report also examines the involvement of foreign fighters in Sudan's conflict. U.N. investigators said estimates that 1,500 to 2,000 Colombian mercenaries supported the RSF were considered credible. The report states that the group, known as the Desert Wolves, established a base in Nyala in 2025 and assisted RSF operations, including drone operations and military planning during the siege of al-Fashir.

According to the report, the mercenaries were hired by Global Security Services Group (GSSG), a company based in the United Arab Emirates. The UAE mission to the United Nations said authorities investigated the company and found no evidence that it was involved in mercenary activities in Sudan or linked to individuals reported to be fighting there.

Sudan's civil war began in 2023 following a power struggle between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the RSF. The conflict has caused hundreds of thousands of deaths, displaced millions of people and created what the United Nations describes as one of the world's most severe humanitarian crises.