U.S. Report Reveals Military Build-Up at Ethiopian Base Linked to RSF Support

A U.S.-based report by Yale University’s Humanitarian Research Lab has revealed a significant military build-up at an Ethiopian military base near the Sudanese border, linking it to a possible Rapid Support Forces (RSF) attack on Al-Damazin in Sudan’s Blue Nile Region.

The RSF militia launched large-scale attacks on several areas in Blue Nile during August, including Al-Kormuk and Geissan.

In a report published late Friday, the lab said it had detected a build-up of military equipment at the Ethiopian Army base in Assosa between August 23 and 28, along with enough vehicles to form a force ranging from a large regiment to a brigade, capable of transporting between 750 and 1,000 personnel.

The report said the increased supply of military equipment and vehicles at the Assosa base had raised the risk of a major and imminent RSF attack on Al-Damazin.

It noted that the final week of August saw the arrival of around 100 technical vehicles at the Assosa base, divided into three groups, representing a sixfold increase over the number present on August 23.

The lab said it had also observed equipment consistent with the installation of weapons on several light technical vehicles, including five vehicles fitted with mounted weapons. Another group of 15 vehicles appeared consistent with armored personnel carriers.

The Yale report reinforces accusations by the Sudanese government that Ethiopia has been facilitating the transfer of supplies from the United Arab Emirates to the RSF and allowing the group to launch attacks from Ethiopian territory.

The lab further reported the identification of 60 additional shipping containers at the Ethiopian base in Assosa between June 29 and August 23, 2026. It also detected 15 new shipping containers and at least eight cargo trucks at the same site during the past week.