Sudan’s Children Suffer as Drones, Drought and Foreign Mercenaries Fuel War

In the latest Middle East Eye video report, UNICEF field officer James Elder returns from the beleaguered city of El Obeid with a stark picture of daily life under relentless drone fire and a deepening humanitarian crisis. The footage, released on 14 November 2026, paints a grim tableau: power stations shattered by air strikes, water supplies dwindling, and harvests failing under the twin pressures of drought and conflict. While the immediate devastation is visible, the report also uncovers a shadowy network of foreign actors—most notably the United Arab Emirates, which, according to a confidential United Nations document obtained by the outlet, has arranged for Colombian mercenaries to fight alongside the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The intertwining of these external forces with the internal conflict underscores the growing complexity of Sudan’s war and the mounting human cost borne by its children.

Daily Reality of War for Sudanese Children

The video opens with scenes from El Obeid, a city that has become a frontline in the broader Sudanese war. James Elder describes how power stations are hit almost daily, leaving neighborhoods in darkness and forcing families to rely on unsafe generators. Without electricity, schools cannot operate, and children are forced to stay home, missing critical education. The loss of power also cripples medical facilities, further endangering young lives already weakened by malnutrition.

Drought compounds the crisis. Water points that once supplied entire neighborhoods are now dry, and the few remaining wells are frequently targeted by aerial attacks. Elder notes that children are often seen walking long distances to fetch water, a journey that has become increasingly perilous as drones patrol the skies. The constant threat of aerial bombardment means that even routine tasks, such as fetching water or tending to livestock, expose children to lethal risk.

Harvests, which traditionally provided a seasonal safety net for families, have failed this year. The combination of drought and the destruction of irrigation infrastructure has left fields barren. As a result, many households face food insecurity, and children are the first to show signs of chronic hunger. Elder’s testimony underscores that the humanitarian emergency in Sudan is not a distant statistic but a daily struggle for survival that plays out in the eyes of its youngest citizens.

UN Agencies Label Sudan the World’s Largest Humanitarian Crisis

The United Nations has labeled the situation in Sudan as the world’s largest humanitarian crisis, a designation that reflects the scale of displacement, food insecurity, and infrastructural collapse. The report highlights that UN agencies are grappling with an unprecedented influx of internally displaced persons, many of whom are families with young children. These agencies are stretched thin, trying to deliver aid amid constant insecurity.

According to the video, UN officials emphasize that the destruction of power stations and water infrastructure directly hampers the delivery of life‑saving assistance. Humanitarian convoys are forced to navigate dangerous routes, often under the threat of drone strikes. This environment not only slows the flow of aid but also endangers the staff tasked with delivering it, creating a vicious cycle where aid becomes increasingly scarce just as needs surge.

The UN’s assessment also points to the long‑term implications for child development. Prolonged exposure to conflict, malnutrition, and interrupted schooling can have lasting effects on health, education, and psychological well‑being. The video’s focus on El Obeid serves as a microcosm of a nationwide tragedy, where each destroyed power line or water pump translates into a lost opportunity for a child’s future.

Foreign Mercenaries and the UAE’s Covert Role

Perhaps the most startling revelation in the Middle East Eye report is the confidential UN document that alleges the United Arab Emirates arranged for Colombian mercenaries to fight alongside the RSF. The report states that these foreign fighters have been recruited to bolster the RSF’s capabilities, adding a new layer of sophistication to the conflict. This involvement signals a deepening of external influence in Sudan’s war, turning a domestic power struggle into a proxy battlefield.

The presence of Colombian mercenaries, who are experienced in guerrilla warfare, has reportedly altered the tactics employed on the ground. Their training in small‑unit operations and familiarity with modern weaponry have contributed to the RSF’s ability to conduct precise drone strikes against civilian infrastructure, including power stations and water facilities. This escalation in firepower directly impacts the civilian population, especially children, who bear the brunt of disrupted services.

The report also notes that the UAE’s involvement is part of a broader pattern of Gulf states seeking strategic footholds in Africa through military and economic channels. While the UAE’s diplomatic ambitions, such as Lana Nusseibeh’s candidacy for UN Secretary‑General, are highlighted elsewhere, the UN document suggests a dissonance between the country’s public humanitarian rhetoric and its covert military engagements.

Regional Backers of Sudan’s Army

In addition to the UAE’s support for the RSF, the video outlines that Egypt, Turkey and other regional actors have thrown their weight behind Sudan’s army. These alliances reflect a complex web of interests, ranging from geopolitical calculations to economic ties. The army’s backing by neighboring states has enabled it to sustain a prolonged campaign, further entrenching the conflict.

Egypt’s involvement is particularly significant given its shared border with Sudan and its historical role in regional security. Turkish support, meanwhile, aligns with Ankara’s broader strategy of expanding influence across the Red Sea and the Horn of Africa. The report implies that these states provide logistical assistance, intelligence, and possibly arms, all of which prolong the fighting and exacerbate the humanitarian toll.

The combined support for both the RSF and the army creates a stalemate that hampers any realistic prospect of a negotiated ceasefire. As each side receives external backing, the incentives to compromise diminish, leaving civilians—especially children—caught in an endless cycle of violence and deprivation.

Humanitarian Impact of Drone Warfare

Drones have become a defining feature of Sudan’s current conflict, according to the footage and commentary in the video. The RSF’s use of drones to target power stations, water facilities and agricultural infrastructure has a cascading effect on civilian life. Each strike on a power station not only plunges neighborhoods into darkness but also disables hospitals, schools and water treatment plants.

James Elder’s observations from El Obeid illustrate how drone attacks have turned the city into a constant war zone. Residents live under the perpetual hum of unmanned aircraft, never knowing when the next strike will fall. This atmosphere of fear has profound psychological effects on children, who are forced to grow up hearing the whir of drones and witnessing the destruction of familiar landmarks.

The video also points out that the use of drones enables the RSF to conduct precise, low‑cost attacks that would otherwise require larger, more conspicuous military operations. This asymmetry allows the RSF to maintain pressure on civilian infrastructure without committing ground forces, thereby extending the conflict’s duration and deepening the humanitarian crisis.

International Law, Accountability and the Path Forward

The revelations about foreign mercenaries, drone warfare and the involvement of regional powers raise urgent questions under international law. The UN’s confidential report implicating the UAE in recruiting Colombian fighters suggests a possible breach of the International Convention against the Recruitment, Use, Financing and Training of Mercenaries. Such actions, if verified, could constitute a violation of the principles that prohibit the use of mercenaries in armed conflicts.

Moreover, the targeting of civilian infrastructure—power stations, water facilities and agricultural assets—may amount to war crimes under the Geneva Conventions, which protect civilian objects from deliberate attacks. The video’s emphasis on the daily impact of these strikes on children underscores the need for accountability mechanisms that can address both the direct perpetrators and the states that enable them.

In the broader diplomatic arena, the UAE’s bid to place Lana Nusseibeh as UN Secretary‑General adds a political dimension to the debate. While the candidacy highlights the country’s desire for a prominent role on the world stage, the allegations of covert military involvement in Sudan could undermine its credibility in the eyes of the international community. The path forward, as the report suggests, requires a coordinated response: thorough investigations by the UN, sanctions against entities facilitating mercenary recruitment, and renewed diplomatic pressure on regional backers to cease fueling the conflict.

By Fatima Al-Rashid, Staff Writer

This article was produced with AI-assisted research and editorial support. Reporting is based on the source material cited below. Sources: Middle East Eye video report (14 November 2026); Middle East Eye; Global1.News