Foreign support, drones fuel Sudan war and possible war crimes, UN probe says

Foreign weapons, military technology and personnel are helping turn Sudan's war into a wider drone conflict, with strikes reaching civilian areas far from the front lines, a U.N. fact-finding mission said.

The war began in April 2023 after a power struggle between Sudan's military and the Rapid Support Forces, or RSF. More than 14 million people have been displaced. In a report, the U.N. mission said drone strikes killed more than 1,000 people in the first five months of 2026. It accused both sides of serious violations of international humanitarian and human rights law, saying some conduct could amount to war crimes.

Investigators said a network involving individuals and entities in the United Arab Emirates, Chad, Libya and Somalia supplied the RSF with weapons, equipment, logistics, training and foreign personnel. The mission also said as many as 2,000 Colombian contractors helped operate and maintain RSF drones and other advanced weapons. Some were present during operations around al-Fashir in Darfur, a city captured by the RSF in October 2025 where the mission previously said mass killings showed signs of genocide.

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remains committed to open and constructive dialogue with the Fact Finding Mission

The UAE rejected allegations that it supported the war, saying it had provided no arms or military-related material and "remains committed to open and constructive dialogue with the Fact Finding Mission." Somalia said it took the allegations seriously but had not allowed its territory, airspace or ports to be used for military purposes. Colombia said it opposed mercenarism and was taking steps concerning its nationals' participation in foreign conflicts. Chad and Libya did not immediately respond.

The investigation into foreign support for Sudan's military remains at an early stage, the mission said. It found evidence that externally supplied combat drones and loitering munitions had extended the army's long-range strike capabilities. The report said some weapons hit civilian sites, including Yabus Market in Blue Nile State. It also linked attacks by both sides to deaths and damage at hospitals, schools, markets and displacement sites. Repeated RSF strikes between May and July damaged electricity and fuel facilities in El Obeid, disrupting water, healthcare, transport and other basic services.

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