Foreign support and drones fuel Sudan war, UN probe warns

Foreign weapons, military technology, fighters and logistical networks are helping sustain Sudan’s war and allowing the rival forces to carry out increasingly sophisticated drone attacks, according to a United Nations fact-finding mission according to Reuters.

The UN mission said in a report published on September 3 that foreign support has strengthened the military capabilities of both Sudan’s army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), allowing attacks to reach civilian areas far from the main front lines.

More than 1,000 people were killed in drone attacks during the first five months of 2026, according to the investigation. UN investigators said both sides had carried out drone attacks that hit civilian locations, including hospitals, schools, markets and displacement sites. Some of the attacks may amount to war crimes, the report said.

The investigation identified networks involving the United Arab Emirates, Chad, Libya and Somalia that it said supplied the RSF with weapons, equipment, logistics, training and foreign personnel. The UAE has repeatedly denied supporting the RSF militarily. Chad and Somalia also rejected or disputed allegations concerning their involvement.

The UN mission also found evidence that Colombian contractors were involved in operating and maintaining advanced weapons and drone systems used by the RSF. Investigators said up to 2,000 Colombian contractors may have assisted the paramilitary force.

Foreign support is also increasing the Sudanese military’s ability to conduct long-range strikes. The UN said its investigation into external support for the army remained at an early stage, but investigators had found evidence of foreign-supplied combat drones and loitering munitions being used by the military.

The conflict began in April 2023 after a power struggle between the Sudanese Armed Forces, led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the RSF, commanded by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo. The fighting has displaced more than 14 million people and created one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.

The UN mission called for stronger enforcement of an existing arms embargo on Darfur and urged the international community to extend the restrictions across Sudan.

The latest findings highlight how foreign military assistance and increasingly advanced drone warfare are prolonging the conflict while exposing civilians to greater risks far beyond the main battlefields.

Reuters, Investing.com, Reuters