Reuters dismantles the Colombian mercenaries claims: Port Sudan faces a credibility crisis

On August 29, 2025, Reuters published a report that debunked one of the most controversial narratives promoted by the Port Sudan authorities in recent months. The agency’s fact-checking team demonstrated that the video, allegedly showing “Colombian mercenaries fighting in El-Fasher with support from the UAE,” was in fact footage of military exercises in Europe involving Western forces.

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Misleading footage from Estonia
The Reuters investigative team traced the origins of the clip circulated by accounts aligned with Port Sudan. They found it came from joint live-fire military drills held near Tapa Camp in Estonia between July 21 and 25, 2025. The exercises involved units from the US, British, Canadian, and Estonian armies.
The footage showed soldiers firing mortar rounds, wearing the official uniform of the US Army’s 3rd Infantry Division. The supposed “Colombian mercenaries” were nothing more than a narrative built on visual manipulation and the repurposing of European military content.

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The UAE: scapegoated to export the crisis
In response to the allegations, the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued an official statement to Reuters on August 29, reiterating Abu Dhabi’s support for the Sudanese people in their pursuit of peace and stability. It dismissed the accusations as part of a systematic campaign by the Port Sudan authorities aimed at vilifying the UAE and shifting blame onto external actors in order to mask internal failures.

A blow to Port Sudan’s propaganda narrative
The Reuters investigation goes beyond debunking a single video. It delivers a significant blow to an entire narrative upon which Port Sudan’s authorities had built their recent media strategy. The accusations against the UAE were based on visual deception and propaganda tools designed to divert public attention from the country’s pressing political and security challenges.

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An escalating credibility crisis
This episode exposes the depth of the credibility crisis now haunting the Port Sudan authorities. International investigations have shown that their media campaigns lack accuracy and rely on manipulation. The anti-UAE rhetoric is increasingly revealed as an attempt to externalize an internal crisis, manufacturing a “foreign enemy” to shoulder the burden of accumulated failures.

Reuters’ findings mark a turning point in dismantling one of the key narratives deployed by Port Sudan against the UAE. At the same time, the UAE’s official statement strengthened Abu Dhabi’s image as a supporter of stability, standing against defamation campaigns. With the exposure of such disinformation, Port Sudan is likely to face mounting pressure to demonstrate its credibility before both domestic and international audiences.

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