The United States has imposed sanctions on an international group accused of recruiting former Colombian soldiers to fight in Sudan’s civil war. The move highlights growing concerns about the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the severe humanitarian impact of the conflict.
How Colombian Soldiers Are Recruited
According to the US Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), the sanctioned network made up of four entities and four individuals, mostly Colombian has helped hundreds of ex-soldiers travel to Sudan since 2024. Recruits serve as infantry fighters and drone operators for the RSF.
Colombian veterans are particularly vulnerable to recruitment due to years of domestic conflict and military training provided through US-supported programs. Many retire without stable jobs, creating a pool of skilled fighters for foreign conflicts.
“This has created a situation where highly trained former soldiers take on missions abroad,” said Alfonso Manzur, a retired officer and academic, in an interview with BBC Mundo.
Promises vs. Reality
Authorities in Colombia say many ex-soldiers were promised low-risk jobs but ended up on active frontlines in Sudan and other conflict zones such as Ukraine. The Colombian foreign ministry has warned that sophisticated human trafficking networks are deceiving citizens into fighting abroad.
OFAC’s statement also noted that some recruiters have trained minors to fight, adding to the RSF’s list of human rights abuses.
RSF Accused of Widespread Atrocities
The RSF has been fighting Sudan’s army since April 2023. International organizations, including the US State Department, report that the group and allied militias have:
- Targeted civilians, including children
- Executed men and boys
- Raped and assaulted women and girls
Earlier this year, the US government determined that the RSF has committed acts of genocide.
A Global Network
Among those sanctioned is a former Colombian-Italian military officer now living in the United Arab Emirates. The UAE has repeatedly been accused of supplying weapons to the RSF, although it denies these claims.
In August, Sudanese state media reported that the Sudanese air force shot down a UAE plane carrying 40 Colombian fighters. The UAE denied this, and Colombia is still trying to confirm casualties.
All US-linked assets of the network must now be frozen and reported under the sanctions.
Battles and Humanitarian Crisis
Colombian fighters reportedly took part in battles across Sudan, including in Khartoum, Omdurman, Kordofan, and the recently fallen city of el-Fasher. The RSF captured el-Fasher after a 500-day siege, killing an estimated 5,000 people.
This week, airstrikes on a kindergarten and hospital in South Kordofan killed at least 114 civilians, including 63 children, according to the World Health Organization. WHO director Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called the attack “senseless” and urged a ceasefire.
The RSF has also claimed control of Sudan’s largest oil field, Heglig, calling it a “turning point for the country’s liberation.”
Millions Displaced
Nearly 12 million people have fled their homes, with famine conditions emerging across Sudan. International pressure is growing. Last month, US President Donald Trump said the US would work with Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE to address the “tremendous atrocities” taking place in the country.
The sanctions aim to disrupt the networks supplying mercenaries to the RSF, but the human cost of the conflict continues to rise.