Colombian ex-soldiers fighting in Sudan?

KHARTOUM - Reports have emerged of the possible presence of ex-soldiers from Colombia in Sudan, which could escalate tensions between the Rapid Support Force (RSF) and the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) who have been at loggerheads for the last two years.

La Silla Vacía, a Colombian newspaper, claims that close to 300 former soldiers from Colombia are actively fighting in Sudan, which could evoke sharp responses from members of the international community.

The report alleges that the soldiers were recruited under pretenses by the Colombian company International Services Agency A4SI, with promises of securing oil infrastructure in the UAE. Instead, they were transported to Libya via Dubai or Abu Dhabi, where they were handed over to representatives of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.

According to the report, “40 of these soldiers were sent to Sudan under pretenses,” and one soldier is quoted in an audio recording saying, “Their contract described a completely different assignment.” Families of the deceased confirmed that three Colombian soldiers were killed during fighting in October, adding that “shelling had caused heavy casualties among their ranks.”

The UAE has denied sending arms to the RSF since April 15, 2023, but admits to supplying arms to the group before that date. The Colombian Foreign Ministry has refused to comment on the situation, and no response was obtained from the RSF regarding these claims.

Elsewhere, at least eight people were killed and several injured after the RSF commandos raided 8 villages in the city of Meheiriba in central Al-Jazira State, local activists said Thursday.

"Villages in western Meheiriba have been under attack by the RSF since Wednesday, starting with the village of Al-Fuwwar, which caused the majority of residents to flee from the village and its surrounding areas," Middle Call, a Sudanese rights group, said in a statement.

"The RSF renewed its attacks on Thursday, targeting the villages of Al-Fuwwar, Salim, Abu Karna, Abara, Umm Kurak, Ajjan, Ma’ijna, and Umm Wazain, accompanied by random and intense artillery shelling. This led to the deaths of eight citizens so far and injuries to others,” it added.

Since mid-April last year, the Sudanese Armed Forces and the RSF have been engaged in a conflict that has resulted in more than 20,000 deaths and displaced nearly 10 million people, according to the UN, the Addis Standard reports.

GAROWE ONLINE