For $4,000 a Month… 2,500 Colombians Fighting Alongside RSF Militia

An investigation by France Press Agency (AFP) has uncovered a network stretching from the Andes Mountains in South America to the battlefronts of Darfur, where Colombian fighters are operating alongside the rebel Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia, which has been waging a devastating war against the Sudanese army for more than two years.

According to the agency, hundreds of former Colombian soldiers travelled to Sudan to take part in the conflict after being promised high salaries. Many were killed on the distant battlefield, while survivors have been accused of committing war crimes.

Based on interviews with “mercenaries,” their family members, company records, and geolocation of battlefield footage, AFP shed light on the role played by Colombians in reinforcing the ranks of the RSF militia, which stands accused of committing genocide.

The “mercenaries” used two main routes to reach Sudan: one via eastern Libya and another through Somalia.

Geolocation of footage filmed by the fighters shows their presence in some of the fiercest battles witnessed in the Darfur region. According to a business associate of a former Colombian officer under U.S. sanctions for being part of this “recruitment network,” the mission involved enlisting 2,500 men into the RSF militia.

A former Colombian soldier said they were paid between $2,500 and $4,000 per month for these missions—equivalent to six times their military pension.