US Sanctions UAE-backed RSF's Colombian Mercenary Network in Sudan

The U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned 5 entities and individuals involved in recruiting former Colombian soldiers to fight for the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a UAE-backed militia that has ravaged Sudan for years.

The sanctioned network includes Bogotá-based Fenix Human Resources S.A.S. and Global Qowa Al-Basheria S.A.S., alongside key figures such as Jose Libardo Quijano Torres and Jose Oscar Garcia Batte.

The treasury said “this network has fueled the conflict,” linking recruitment directly to “one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises and famines.”

Since April 2023, the war has killed more than 150,000 people and displaced over 14 million, according to U.S. estimates.

“Hundreds” of Colombian ex-soldiers have been deployed since 2024 in combat and technical roles, including drone operations, across key cities such as El Fasher.

UAE-backed RSF terror group leader Mohamed “Hemedti” Dagalo has admitted before to recruiting Colombian mercenaries, when he addressed the issue in hsi speech in February. “Foreign Fighters Do Not Change War,” Dagalo said.

“They say there are Colombians… if we brought ten Colombians as drone technicians… Foreign technicians do not change the roots of this war.”

U.S. officials argue such networks materially extend battlefield capacity. OFAC linked recruitment pipelines to intermediary firms, including Panama-based entities used to obscure financial flows and contractual ties.

The sanctions freeze U.S.-linked assets and prohibit transactions, including those involving entities owned 50% or more by designated actors under Executive Order 14098.

Additional reporting indicates at least 300 Colombian fighters have been deployed, including in Nyala, South Darfur - a key RSF logistics hub. Former fighters described the strategic importance of the area: “If they take that runway, everyone there is lost.”

These networks reportedly recruited specialists such as snipers, translators, and drone operators, addressing capability gaps in UAE-backed RSF operations.

U.S. officials warned that external support has “further destabilized an already fragile region,” creating space for armed groups to expand.

Reports also cite the training of minors aged 10-12 in weapons systems including AK-47 rifles, RPGs, and Dragunov sniper rifles, with one former fighter stating: “We’re training kids to get them killed.”

The sanctions coincide with renewed U.S. calls for a 3-month humanitarian truce between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and RSF “without preconditions.”

Meanwhile, international donors pledged over 1.5 billion euros in aid, though funding gaps remain severe.

The conflict, now entering its third year, continues to generate famine conditions and widespread civilian harm, with external recruitment networks emerging as a key sustaining factor.