UAE security firm enrolls Sudanese for military drill

KHARTOUM, SUDAN

Dozens of Sudanese citizens, who returned from the UAE on Tuesday, claimed that they had been forced to go into the military training by a security company to send them to war-torn North African country of Libya.

Talking to Anadolu Agency, Akahsa Ahmed, who was part of the group said many young men hired by the UAE-based security agency were sent to Libya after military training.

He further claimed that they had been hired to work as guards by the Sudanese Agency called Amanda, which handed them over to the UAE agency Black Shields.

“We were paid 80.000 Sudanese pounds ($950) each. But when we arrived at Sharjah airport, they took us to a military camp for training. We understood that they are intending to send us to Libya” he said.

“We thank the government, which helped us to return after a campaign in social media. But still, other Sudanese are in the military camp. Our government should move quickly to save them,” he urged.

In a statement, the Sudanese Foreign Ministry said that it is in touch with the UAE authorities.

“The Sudanese government is on intensive contact with the UAE authorities to follow up on the situation of Sudanese citizens, who were believed to have signed contracts with a security firm in the UAE. The contract also stated that they will be sent to Libya to work as security guards in the oil fields there” the statement added.

The ministry further stressed that the issue would not affect the ties between the two countries.