Colombia Calls for Return of Mercenaries in Sudan Conflict

AFRICAN BUSINESS AND ECONOMYDecember 3, 2024 at 7:31 AM UTC

TLDR

Colombian President Gustavo Petro has urged hundreds of Colombian mercenaries fighting in Sudan to return home.
This follows reports by Colombian outlet La Silla Vacía, alleging that a UAE-based private security company misled them into joining Sudan’s civil war.
The Sudanese conflict, ongoing for 19 months, has caused tens of thousands of deaths and displaced over 11 million people.

Colombian President Gustavo Petro has urged hundreds of Colombian mercenaries fighting in Sudan to return home. This follows reports by Colombian outlet La Silla Vacía, alleging that a UAE-based private security company misled them into joining Sudan’s civil war.

The Sudanese conflict, ongoing for 19 months, has caused tens of thousands of deaths and displaced over 11 million people. Allegations of UAE support for Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have been denied by the UAE Foreign Ministry. Videos circulating online appear to show Sudanese forces capturing Colombian fighters with the RSF.

The proliferation of private military contractors across Africa coincides with declining UN peacekeeping forces and military juntas favoring less scrutinized security partners. Turkey and Russia’s Wagner Group are active in Mali, while US-based Bancroft trains Somalia’s army. UN peacekeepers in Africa are set to decrease to 35,000 by 2024 from 88,000 a decade ago.

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Key Takeaways

Mercenaries often fill gaps left by shrinking UN and Western military operations in Africa. Yet their impact remains controversial. Sahel civilian deaths surged to 3,064 in the first half of 2024, compared to 2,520 in all of 2023, highlighting worsening insecurity after military juntas expelled French troops in favor of Wagner fighters. While some governments view mercenaries as effective, critics argue they exacerbate conflicts.

Sudan

Colombia

Economy

UAE

Conflict