Sudan accuses UAE of supporting foreign mercenaries, but video claims debunked by Reuters
A video circulated by Sudanese officials to accuse the United Arab Emirates (UAE) of supporting armed groups has been debunked by international news agency Reuters. The footage, which Sudan claimed showed UAE-backed Colombian mercenaries attacking civilians in El Fasher, was confirmed to be from a military exercise in Estonia.
Sudanese authorities accused the UAE of involvement in the conflict by backing armed factions. The UAE’s Foreign Ministry rejected the allegations in an August 5 statement, calling them “baseless” and an attempt to shift responsibility. In a follow-up email to Reuters on August 29, the ministry reiterated its support for the Sudanese people’s pursuit of peace and stability, describing the accusations as part of a “systematic campaign” by what it referred to as the “Port Sudan Authority.”
The controversy escalated after a video spread online showing soldiers entering a military vehicle and firing mortar rounds, with one voice in English saying, “Ready, fire.” Social media posts claimed the footage depicted UAE-backed Colombian mercenaries shelling civilians in El Fasher.
However, investigations revealed that the video was from a live-fire military exercise held in Estonia in July 2025, involving U.S., British, Canadian, and Estonian troops. The original footage was published by the U.S. Department of Defense’s Defense Visual Information Distribution Service (DVIDS) on July 29. The U.S. Army’s V Corps confirmed the training took place between July 21 and 25 and included mortar fire drills to assess combat readiness. Soldiers in the video wore insignia of the U.S. Army’s 3rd Infantry Division, which participated in the exercise.
Meanwhile, Sudanese Prime Minister Kamel Idris issued a statement on August 16 urging Colombia to halt the recruitment and deployment of mercenaries to Sudan. Colombian President Gustavo Petro responded the next day on social media, telling Colombians, “Do not die in foreign wars.” Neither the Colombian nor Sudanese foreign ministries responded to Reuters’ requests for comment.
This is not the first time Sudan has accused the UAE of interference. In May, Khartoum announced it would sever diplomatic ties with Abu Dhabi, accusing it of supplying advanced weapons to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
Reuters decision: Misleading. The widely shared video does not show Colombian mercenaries fighting in El Fasher in August 2025, but rather a joint U.S., British, Canadian, and Estonian military exercise in Estonia in July 2025.