Reuters’ Fact-Checking Service has refuted a video circulating online that purportedly shows Colombian soldiers fighting in El Fasher, Sudan, supported by the UAE.

The service confirmed that the video actually depicts part of a joint military training exercise involving US and European forces in Estonia, contrary to online posts claiming it shows Colombian mercenaries fighting in El Fasher with UAE backing.

These posts emerged after the Sudanese army announced in early August 2025 that it had killed Colombian armed men in El Fasher, controlled by the Rapid Support Forces, and accused the UAE of involvement in the conflict.

However, the circulated video shows live-fire joint military exercises involving troops from four countries in Estonia conducted in July 2025.

The US Department of Defense’s Defense Visual Information Distribution Service (DVIDS) published the original video on July 29 as part of a longer version.

The video was filmed on July 24, 2025, featuring units from the US Army, British, Canadian, and Estonian armed forces near Tapa Camp in Estonia.

The website of the US Fifth Corps (Victory Corps), based in Poland, stated on August 18 that the exercises from July 21 to 25 included mortar and live ammunition firing to assess combat readiness of participating forces.

The Fact-Checking team noted that the military uniform worn by the person inside the military vehicle and one of the soldiers firing mortars bears the insignia of the US Army’s 3rd Infantry Division, which participated in the joint exercises in Estonia.

Sudanese Prime Minister Kamel Idris, in a Spanish-language statement on August 16, urged Colombia to immediately stop recruiting mercenaries and deploying them in Sudan and to support the Sudanese government.

Colombian President Gustavo Petro responded on X the following day, addressing Colombians: “Do not die in foreign conflicts.”

The Colombian government, in a rare official stance, expressed deep concern and displeasure over reports of Colombian mercenaries participating in the ongoing Sudanese war.

During a meeting with the Sudanese UN delegate, Colombia’s permanent representative Gustavo Callon said his country “feels deeply embarrassed” by this information.

He emphasized Bogota’s firm rejection of any involvement of its citizens in armed conflicts abroad, especially internal conflicts like Sudan’s.

Callon pointed out that most Colombian mercenaries involved are “rogue elements” or former fighters from armed groups that the Colombian government fought for decades, referring to the phenomenon of professional fighters recruited to fight in foreign conflicts.

Meanwhile, the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in an official statement to Reuters, affirmed its support for the Sudanese people in their pursuit of peace and stability, pointing to the rise of false allegations as part of a systematic campaign by the Port Sudan authority.

The UAE Foreign Ministry stressed that these increasing false claims are part of a deliberate approach to evade responsibility and blame others.