December 2, Nairobi — At least 300 Colombian ex-soldiers have been fighting in Sudan. The soldiers were drawn into the war through a cross-border operation involving four countries, led by the United Arab Emirates, a recent investigation revealed.
The soldiers were allegedly recruited by by a Colombian company, International Services Agency A4SI, under the pretense of securing oil infrastructure in the UAE. However, they were transported to Libya via Dubai or Abu Dhabi where they were met with representatives of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
Colombians were housed in Benghazi, Libya, before being transported across the border in Sudan via desert routes. They then were brought to fight alongside the RSF in El Fasher, capital of North Darfur. Three Colombian fighters were allegedly killed there in October.
Documents that included Colombian passports and military IDs were originally found on November 20 on the Sudan-Libya border by a pro-government militia. They allegedly revealed the identities of the Colombian fighters and were circulated on social media.
On Sunday, the Ambassador of Colombia in Cairo apologized to the Ambassador of Sudan for Colombian citizens participation with the RSF in the Sudan war. Colombia will allegedly be providing a comprehensive file on the involvement of Colombian mercenaries in the conflict.
According to the report, around 40 Colombians remain trapped in Sudan, unable to leave. One soldier told La Silla that they had been “kidnapped” into the war. “This is human trafficking, they hire us for one thing and then take us somewhere else for something else,” said another.
The soldiers were promised salaries of up to $3,400 per month, but many said they hadn’t received the money.