June 10, 2026 (ASOSA) – According to a recent study conducted by the Humanitarian Research Lab at Yale University’s School of Public Health, there is evidence of an operational military transport network within an Ethiopian National Defense Forces (ENDF) facility. This system involves the modification, arming, and repainting of private cars to support Sudan's Rapid Support Forces (RSF). .
A study utilizing satellite images examined from March 29 to May 21, 2026, indicates extensive renovation activities taking place at the ENDF facility located in Asosa, Ethiopia. . The operation suggests that the Ethiopian military installation is offering continuous assistance to the Sudanese armed militia, which contradicts typical ENDF activities. .
As per the research outcomes, the base functions as a center for modifications, where light commercial vehicles, initially painted in white or light shades, are recoated with darker colors that align with the specific livery employed by the RSF on the fronts of Blue Nile State. . Images taken on May 21 showed vehicles covered in uneven patches of light and dark areas, indicating that the painting work was still ongoing. .
Researchers from Yale corroborated these satellite findings using confirmed public video evidence showing RSF vehicles engaged in combat in the Blue Nile area. . Field vehicles displayed obvious signs of custom alterations: their exterior surfaces were coated in a flat, non-glossy dark green finish, whereas the uncoated inner door panels and footholds retained their original brilliant white color. . Front bumper designs and company emblems were similarly repainted to hide their commercial backgrounds. .
In addition to aesthetic modifications, the Asosa facility is repurposing these civil aircraft into deadly "light tactical vehicles." . Experts consistently noted groups of slim, dark items about 1.6 meters in length, located near trucks equipped with loading mechanisms in their cargo areas. . Given the precise measurements and placement, the report concludes with strong certainty that these items are large machine guns, matching the specifications of 50-caliber barrels, mounted on adapted vehicles. .
The supply network supporting this activity is vast . On May 10, satellite images showed at least 10 commercial vehicle transporters reaching the facility, some of them fully loaded with lightly colored consumer cars prepared for alteration. . At the same time, a varying number of up to 13 major commercial truck units and 25 additional smaller transportation vehicles were monitored as they traveled across public and inhabited zones within Asosa town, corresponding to the transport machinery seen inside the military installation. .
The document further points out a major change in daily activities at the facility, indicating a move to conceal the pipeline from global oversight. . After Yale first reported on the site in April, the center of activity moved away from an open, trapezoid-shaped area. . The operation shifted toward the northeastern part of the base, focusing on a substantial covered storage facility—an action experts suggest aligns with efforts to avoid satellite surveillance. .
By May 21, operations at this enclosed storage facility reached their highest level. . Scientists recorded an increase of 36 shipping containers and a cumulative total of 82 small mechanical vehicles spread throughout the Asosa facility, with more than 70 located specifically near the newly established storage area. .
During this reporting period, Yale HRL examined over 10 additional ENDF-associated sites throughout Ethiopia. . The lab verified that none of the other sites displayed signs of transporting, arming, or distributing civilian vehicles for border-related conflict, suggesting that the Asosa site serves as a special center for supplying the RSF. .