Child soldiers have provided harrowing accounts of their roles in Sudan’s ongoing civil war, revealing the brutal conditions and forced conscriptions that have marked the conflict. Now in its fourth year, the war pits Sudan’s national army against the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a militia reportedly supported by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and accused of targeting black African populations.

One 17-year-old survivor described being shackled to a truck-mounted anti-aircraft gun during attacks on the capital, Khartoum. He recounted how another child was chained to the vehicle’s steering wheel, with both forced to shoot at government aircraft under threat of death if they attempted to escape. These children were trained and overseen by Colombian mercenaries fighting alongside the RSF, a detail corroborated by analysts who note these mercenaries were recruited and equipped by the UAE—a claim the UAE denies.

The boy, who was seized at 15 in the Khartoum suburb of Omdurman, recalled the fear and desire to escape. Visible scars on his head and face bear witness to injuries sustained in the fighting. Another child soldier spoke of being compelled to carry out artillery strikes and suffering punishment with an electric baton for disobedience.

Tens of thousands of children, some reportedly as young as eight, have been conscripted by both sides since the conflict’s escalation. Many of those involved have suffered grievous physical injuries, as seen at a rehabilitation center in Khartoum, where boys displayed wounds including a missing hand, exposed bone, and scars consistent with torture. Several have been disowned by their families and continue to struggle with the psychological trauma and guilt associated with their forced participation.

Child soldiers have also been implicated in some of the war’s deadliest incidents. Reports indicate their involvement in atrocities such as the massacre of thousands of civilians in the city of el-Fasher last year.

The ongoing conflict continues to inflict severe humanitarian and social consequences, with child combatants enduring both physical harm and the psychological burden of their coerced roles in the fighting.