Widespread outrage has erupted across Sudanese social media platforms following revelations by the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) that foreign mercenaries—including Colombian nationals—have been fighting alongside the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in recent battles in El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur State.
According to local Sudanese media, video footage retrieved from a mobile phone belonging to one of the captured Colombian mercenaries showed evidence of foreign fighters supporting RSF operations in multiple locations. Among these is the area surrounding Nyala Airport in South Darfur, which RSF reportedly reopened to facilitate the trafficking of gold, livestock, and military supplies.
The SAF stated that devices seized from the mercenaries contain audio-visual materials that not only confirm their involvement but also expose the extent of the conspiracy and the foreign actors backing it. The army described the international community’s silence as alarming in the face of what it termed a serious threat to regional peace and security.
In a statement on Monday, Sudan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed it possesses verified documents proving the involvement of Colombian mercenaries, along with tens of thousands of fighters from neighboring countries, allegedly funded and coordinated by external actors. Sudan’s permanent mission to the United Nations has formally submitted the evidence to the UN Security Council.
The ministry warned that this dangerous escalation could turn Sudan’s internal conflict into a transnational, proxy-led war that undermines national sovereignty and violates international law.
In response, Sudanese activists have called for a press conference to be broadcast on both local and international media outlets. They urged officials to publicly present the evidence, including videos and intercepted communications found on the captured mercenaries’ phones, and to submit copies to the UN Security Council and international human rights bodies.
“This kind of evidence must be used to mobilise international opinion and strengthen Sudan’s official position,” one activist wrote online.
Social media users described footage showing Colombian mercenaries training RSF fighters and overseeing indiscriminate artillery shelling of civilian-populated areas as a “moral and humanitarian scandal” that demands international accountability.
Several users also reported that the mercenaries were seen using military maps and coordinates to carry out precision strikes from inside the Masane’ (Industrial) district in El Fasher, suggesting direct involvement in combat operations and civilian attacks.
Other online commentators accused the foreign fighters—particularly the Colombians—of smuggling internationally banned weapons into Sudan for use by RSF forces, worsening the already dire humanitarian situation, especially in Darfur.
Several posts also claimed that some of the mercenaries have prior criminal records and are wanted for human rights violations. They are accused of directly participating in the destruction of villages and attacks on health facilities and schools.
“The scandal of the Colombian mercenaries is not just a domestic issue. It’s a global case that must be addressed at the Security Council and by human rights organisations,” one Sudanese user wrote.
Activists also called on the international community to urgently condemn the use of mercenaries in warfare against civilians and demanded that the countries involved—particularly Colombia—issue formal statements rejecting their nationals’ involvement in alleged war crimes in Sudan.
Earlier this week, the Joint Forces of Darfur Movements, which signed a peace agreement with the Sudanese government, accused the RSF of recruiting mercenaries from five countries to support its recent offensive on El Fasher.
Since 10 May 2024, the city has seen continuous fighting between the army and the RSF, despite international warnings. El Fasher remains the central humanitarian hub for all five Darfur states.
Sudanese authorities previously accused the RSF of employing foreign mercenaries, but the RSF has not issued a public response.
On 3 December 2024, Sudan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported receiving an official apology from the Colombian government over the involvement of some of its nationals in combat operations alongside the RSF.
The war between Sudan’s military and the RSF began in mid-April 2023. It has so far resulted in more than 20,000 deaths and forced over 15 million people to flee their homes, according to the UN and local sources. However, a study conducted by U.S. universities has estimated the death toll to be closer to 130,000.
