Port-Sudan’s Lies Against the UAE: Facts Revealed and Falsehoods Exposed
One fabricated claim after another has been promoted by the Port-Sudan authority in an attempt to discredit the UAE’s efforts. Each passing day exposes the falsity of these allegations while reaffirming the UAE’s genuine commitment to supporting the Sudanese people.
Such repetitive falsehoods have already been rejected by credible international bodies. In April, the United Nations Security Council dismissed them, followed in May by the International Court of Justice. On Friday, Reuters became the latest to dismantle another such claim.
The most recent allegation
The latest accusation pushed by Port-Sudan alleged that the UAE was recruiting Colombian mercenaries to fight alongside the Rapid Support Forces. Social media campaigns circulated videos purportedly showing these “foreign fighters” attacking Sudanese civilians.
On August 5, the UAE firmly rejected these claims in an official statement, calling them baseless and fabricated. Yet Port-Sudan persisted, using the narrative to smear the UAE’s diplomatic and humanitarian initiatives aimed at resolving the Sudanese crisis.
Again, on August 10, the UAE stressed that “the escalation of false allegations is part of a systematic campaign by the so-called Port-Sudan authority, a party to the civil war, seeking to prolong the conflict and undermine genuine peace efforts.”
Truth unveiled
Reuters’ fact-checking service confirmed that the widely circulated footage does not show Colombian mercenaries in Sudan but rather a multinational military drill held in Estonia in July.
The video depicts soldiers entering a military vehicle and firing mortars, while an English command — “Ready, fire!” — is heard. The original footage was released on July 29 by the U.S. Department of Defense’s Defense Visual Information Distribution Service (DVIDS). It was filmed on July 24 near Tapa Camp with U.S., British, Canadian, and Estonian troops.
According to a statement by the U.S. Army V Corps, headquartered in Poland, the exercise involved live-fire mortar training to test combat readiness. Insignias of the U.S. Army’s 3rd Infantry Division can clearly be seen on the uniforms of the participating soldiers.
Avoiding accountability
When contacted by Reuters for comment, Sudan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs failed to respond. The UAE’s Ministry, however, reiterated its commitment to the Sudanese people and condemned the repeated attempts to evade responsibility by shifting blame onto others.
This controversy unfolds as the UAE and other international actors — including the U.S., Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Switzerland, the African Union, and the United Nations — voice deep concern over the humanitarian crisis in Sudan, urging warring parties to protect civilians and allow unhindered humanitarian access.
Why target the UAE?
The answer lies in Abu Dhabi’s clear position: rejection of the war, neutrality toward the warring factions, and advocacy for a political solution and civilian-led governance in Sudan. This principled stance, interpreted by Port-Sudan as opposition, has triggered smear campaigns backed by remnants of the former regime.
International validation
In May, the International Court of Justice dismissed Port-Sudan’s case accusing the UAE of violating the Genocide Convention, a diplomatic victory for Abu Dhabi. A month earlier, the UN Security Council had confirmed the absence of evidence against the UAE while acknowledging its constructive role in Geneva peace talks — efforts derailed by Sudan’s own military authorities.
Humanitarian commitment
Over the past two years, the UAE has provided $680 million in aid to more than two million direct beneficiaries, with plans to reach 30 million Sudanese at risk of famine.
In the last decade, total assistance exceeded $3.5 billion. This included 162 flights and several ships delivering over 13,000 tons of food and medical supplies. Three field hospitals were established for Sudanese refugees in Chad and South Sudan, alongside support for 127 healthcare facilities across 14 states.
These initiatives reflect a consistent policy of prioritizing humanitarian action above politics, demonstrating a commitment to peace even as disinformation campaigns seek to obscure the truth.
