In the vast desert routes connecting Libya and Sudan, a group of fighters searching through documents recovered from an enemy convoy uncovered evidence of a new dimension in Sudan’s civil war. Among the identification cards and passports they found was one belonging to Christian Lombana Moncayo, a Colombian national.
The fighters questioned whether the documents belonged to Sudanese citizens before realising they were looking at foreign identities. Some cards carried the word “Colombia”, although the fighters failed to identify the country. In one case, they confused the logo of Colombia’s military health service with the emblem of French football club Paris Saint-Germain.
The discovery, made public in November 2024, became one of the first indications that Colombian military contractors had been deployed to Sudan to support the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) during the country’s ongoing civil war. The first group of Colombians had arrived only two months earlier after travelling through the United Arab Emirates, flying to Benghazi in Libya and then crossing the desert for around eight days, according to an investigation by Colombian media outlet La Silla Vacía.
Since then, the network has expanded. According to recent reports, investigations and a source with direct knowledge of the operation who spoke with EL PAÍS, the flow of military contractors has grown to include nationals from other Latin American countries, while the systems supporting recruitment, training and transportation have become increasingly organised.
The initial recruitment process involved the Colombian company International Services Agency A4SI, which advertised what appeared to be employment opportunities. In September 2024, one online recruitment notice sought drone pilots for work in Africa, offering salaries between 2,500 and 3,000 dollars along with accommodation, transport and health insurance.
After arriving in the United Arab Emirates, Colombian recruits reportedly signed new contracts with Global Security Services Group, an Emirati company founded in 2016 by Ahmed Mohamed al-Humairi, secretary general of the country’s presidential court, and later transferred to his business partner Mohamed Hamdan al-Zaabi, according to corporate information analysed by the investigative organisation The Sentry.
The network later came under international scrutiny. In December 2025, the United States Treasury Department imposed sanctions on four individuals and four entities connected to the transnational network involved in Sudan’s civil war, including A4SI. In April, sanctions were expanded to include five additional individuals and organisations, including Fénix, a company that replaced A4SI after it was targeted.
The measures, however, have not stopped the arrival of Latin American contractors in Sudan. Colombian fighters operating under the name Lobos del Desierto have reportedly participated in several fronts, particularly in Darfur. Their activities have included operating drones, artillery and armoured vehicles, carrying out direct attacks, training paramilitary fighters and supporting propaganda and security operations, according to allegations presented in 2025 by Sudanese military representative to the United Nations Al-Harith Idriss.
The involvement of foreign contractors has drawn attention because of the accusations against the RSF, which has been linked to widespread abuses against civilians, including executions, sexual violence, kidnappings, torture and looting. In Darfur, the paramilitary group has also been accused of ethnic cleansing campaigns. During the capture of the city of El Fasher, a United Nations mission found evidence pointing to possible genocidal acts. The war in Sudan has created what has been described as the world’s largest humanitarian crisis.
The network is not limited to Colombia. A source who spoke with EL PAÍS said that contractors from other Latin American countries, including El Salvador, have also participated, although in smaller numbers. The source stated that several Salvadorans died during the capture of El Fasher and referred to another recent death involving a person of that nationality.
The arrival of Latin American contractors in Sudan follows a longer history of foreign recruitment networks connected to conflicts in the region. In 2015, after a Saudi-led coalition launched a military campaign against Houthi rebels in Yemen, several media outlets reported that the United Arab Emirates had sent hundreds of Colombian mercenaries and dozens of other Latin American fighters, including Salvadorans, to participate in the conflict.
Sudan’s RSF has traditionally relied on regional networks, including fighters recruited from neighbouring countries such as Chad and South Sudan. However, the system used to bring Latin American contractors into the conflict appears to operate through a different structure involving international routes and partnerships.
Since the deployment of Colombian fighters became known, the logistics network has evolved through regional connections linked to the United Arab Emirates, similar to the channels used for weapons transfers. Many contractors reportedly pass through Nyala, the capital of South Darfur and a key RSF stronghold that serves as a major entry and exit point for foreign personnel.
The source who spoke with EL PAÍS identified two main routes from Bogotá. One passes through Paris and Dubai before reaching Abu Dhabi, where contractors are transferred onward. The second route travels through Madrid, Addis Ababa in Ethiopia, Bosaso in Puntland, Somalia, and Kufra in Libya before reaching Nyala. Chad’s capital, N’Djamena, is also described as an important point within the network.
Before entering Sudan, many contractors reportedly receive training from Emirati military instructors at two bases in Abu Dhabi, Ghiyathi and Al Wathba, according to information published by Human Rights Watch in May. The source also said that some receive drone training at a base in Bosaso, while other forms of instruction take place in Kufra.
Once deployed, some contractors have also trained local paramilitary fighters. The source described the process as a transfer of military knowledge, saying some Sudanese fighters have even learned Spanish quickly through their interactions with foreign personnel.
Beyond combat-related activities, some contractors have reportedly become involved in other projects. A separate source told EL PAÍS that preparations were underway to renovate at least three hospitals in areas controlled by the RSF, although repeated airstrikes in Nyala have delayed those plans. Alaa Nugoud, health minister of the administration established by the RSF in territories under its control, confirmed that work was being carried out on hospital renovations and that proposals existed for new facilities, while saying foreign experts could be hired to support services, strategy and reconstruction efforts.
Despite the ongoing violence, recruitment messages continue to circulate online. Videos posted on platforms such as TikTok show Colombians expressing interest in travelling to Sudan, with some users describing the difficulty of finding employment after leaving military service and others saying they are ready to go wherever needed.
EL PAÍS reported that it contacted the press office of the Rapid Support Forces regarding the allegations and network described in the investigation but had received no response at the time of publication. The expansion of foreign military contractors into Sudan remains an active element of a conflict that continues to draw fighters, resources and international attention.
