An investigative report published by the Colombian newspaper “La Silla Vacia” confirmed the presence of nearly 300 former Colombian soldiers participating in the war in Sudan, some of whom arrived via Libya.
The report explained that these soldiers, some of whom were described as “being kidnapped,” were recruited through a Colombian security company under the disguise of contracts to protect oil infrastructure in the United Arab Emirates.
The report indicated that the journey of these soldiers began in the UAE, then they were flown to the city of Benghazi, where they stayed in facilities said to belong to the Libyan authorities, before being transported to Sudan across the desert. According to the report, the soldiers’ testimonies indicated that they were deceived and forced to fight with the Rapid Support Forces in Sudan.
The report said that some Colombian soldiers were ambushed on the Libyan-Sudanese border, which led to the death of three of them and the injury of others. It also cited testimonies confirming the presence of at least 40 soldiers who wished to return to Colombia, but feared revenge. It pointed out the involvement of the Colombian company "A4SI" in the recruitment of these soldiers, with reference to the role of retired Colonel Alvaro Quijano, who is residing in Dubai, in managing this process.
The joint force of armed fighting movements in Sudanese army published footage on social media showing identification and personal papers of Colombians whom the spokesman for the joint force said had been killed in the border triangle area with Chad and Libya, as part of a force that was trying to deliver supplies to the Rapid Support Forces in North Darfur State. The documents presented by the joint force showed that the Colombian mercenaries came from the United Arab Emirates, with a supply of weapons and ammunition for the Rapid Support Forces.
