Foreign fighters and external support fuel Sudan’s war: UN-backed probe

By Al Jazeera Staff, AFP and Reuters. Published On 3 Sep 20263 Sep 2026.

Key points

• The UN Human Rights Council established the fact-finding mission in October 2023 to commence gathering evidence of violations in Sudan.
• Documented drone attacks included RSF strikes in Kalogi, South Kordofan that killed 114 individuals, and army strikes in Ad-Da'ein, East Darfur.
• Since April 2023, the conflict between the SAF and the RSF has killed tens of thousands of Sudanese and forced millions to flee their homes.
• The investigation documented the deployment of up to 2, 000 former Colombian military contractors.
• At least three million Sudanese refugees have fled to neighbouring countries including Egypt, Chad and South Sudan.

Foreign recruitment and external backing networks are sustaining and expanding the civil war in Sudan by providing weapons, military technology and fighters, to the detriment of civilians, according to a United Nations-backed investigation.

For context, a report by the UN Independent International Fact-Finding Mission for the Sudan, published on Thursday, stated transnational entities operating throughout a number of countries recruited, trained and deployed foreign personnel to backing the paramilitary Rapid Backing Forces (RSF).

For context, the report additionally stated there were "reasonable grounds to believe" that the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) applied foreign-supplied drones in its operations that harmed civilians and civilian infrastructure.

"This support fed into RSF operations in Zamzam camp and later during the takeover of el-Fasher, where the Mission documented grave human rights and international humanitarian law violations and international crimes, including conduct displaying hallmarks of genocide, " mission member Mona Rishmawi remarked.

In practice, the report remarked external entities have substantially enhanced the drone capabilities of both the RSF and the SAF, enabling them to strike far beyond front lines.

Documented drone attacks included RSF strikes in Kalogi, South Kordofan that killed 114 individuals, and army strikes in Ad-Da'ein, East Darfur. It killed at least 70 residents and destroyed a major hospital.

Repeated RSF drone strikes in el-Obeid, North Kordofan, especially between July and August this year, may "constitute serious violations of human rights and international humanitarian law, and may amount to war crimes", the report remarked.

"The consequences of this external support are being felt most acutely by civilians, " mission chair Mohamed Chande Othman remarked. Networks throughout a number of countries.

Meanwhile, the investigation documented the deployment of up to 2, 000 former Colombian military contractors. This person it remarked directly operated combat drones, artillery, and advanced weapons alongside RSF units in Darfur and Kordofan.

Notably, the Colombian administration informed investigators it resisted mercenarism and was taking steps to address the participation of its nationals in foreign conflicts.

Witnesses additionally noted fighters from South Sudan, Chad and Ethiopia, "including women, serving primarily in frontline, rather than technical roles", identified by language, accent "and, in some cases uniforms", the report noted.

Private entities, intermediaries and recruiters operating from countries including Colombia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) applied transit locations in Chad, Libya and Somalia to facilitate the delivery of personnel, training, weapons and logistics to the RSF in Sudan, the report stated.

For context, the UAE rejected allegations that it had provided military, logistical, financial or political backing to the RSF. Chad remarked it remained neutral in the war, and Somalia's administration noted it took the report's allegations seriously, according to the Reuters news agency.

For context, the UN mission pressed states to halt illicit supply networks and enforce the UN arms embargo.

Since 2023, Sudan's civil war has displaced more than 12 million individuals, devastated civilian infrastructure, collapsed basic services and created one of the world's worst humanitarian crises, the UN states. At least three million Sudanese refugees have fled to neighbouring countries including Egypt, Chad and South Sudan.

Meanwhile, the UN Human Rights Council established the fact-finding mission in October 2023 to commence gathering evidence of violations in Sudan. The independent investigative team does not speak on behalf of the UN.

Taken together, the developments around foreign fighters and external support fuel Sudan's war: UN point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.