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Libyan Armed Group Facilitated Transfer of Colombian Mercenaries to Sudan Conflict, UN Report Reveals
A Libyan militia played a crucial role in transferring former Colombian military personnel to fight alongside the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary group in Sudan’s ongoing civil war, according to a United Nations report released just after the third anniversary of the conflict.
The report identifies the Subul al-Salam Battalion, a militia operating under powerful Libyan General Khalifa Hifter’s self-styled Libyan National Army, as the facilitator of this international mercenary pipeline. Based in the southern Libyan town of Kufra near the borders with Sudan, Chad, and Egypt, the battalion provided critical logistical support to the RSF by moving recruits, weapons, and fuel across the border.
The UN Panel of Experts on Libya, in their report covering October 2024 to February 2026, detailed how the RSF established a rear base approximately 75 kilometers southwest of Kufra. This strategic location, along with an airbase in Kufra itself, served as transit points for Colombian fighters and facilities for modifying vehicles imported through Libya.
“The battalion supported RSF operations through deploying units on the ground, providing fighters and escorting them across Libyan territory while facilitating access to fuel and spare vehicle parts,” the report stated. This support proved instrumental in the RSF’s advance on the strategically significant Uwaynat area—a border triangle where Sudan, Egypt, and Libya intersect—though UN experts noted it simultaneously “weakened border security in southern Libya.”
Sudan’s military and the RSF have been locked in brutal conflict since April 15, 2023, when longstanding tensions between the two forces erupted into open warfare across Khartoum and other regions of the country. The RSF claimed control of the triangle zone in June, after the Sudanese military said it evacuated the area as part of “defensive arrangements.”
The Sudanese military has previously accused General Hifter’s forces of supporting the RSF’s assault on the region, allegations the Libyan commander has denied. Both Hifter’s forces and the RSF have reportedly received support from the United Arab Emirates, according to international rights organizations, though the UAE has consistently rejected these accusations.
In recent months, Sudan’s military has attempted to disrupt the Libya-based supply route to the RSF. The UN report documents airstrikes launched in November targeting shipments of vehicles and foreign fighters inside Libya that were en route to join the paramilitaries.
The United States has responded to the involvement of foreign mercenaries by imposing sanctions on Colombian firms and individuals allegedly linked to the deployment of former Colombian officers to fight alongside the RSF in Sudan.
The RSF did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding the UN’s findings, and attempts to reach the Subul al-Salam Battalion were unsuccessful.
This international dimension adds another layer of complexity to what has become one of the world’s most catastrophic humanitarian crises. According to the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project, a U.S.-based war tracking organization, the Sudan conflict has killed at least 59,000 people—a figure experts believe significantly understates the actual death toll given the challenges in accurate reporting from conflict zones.
The war has pushed parts of Sudan into famine conditions and created what humanitarian agencies describe as the world’s largest displacement crisis, with millions forced from their homes and facing acute food insecurity.
The UN report underscores how regional actors continue to inflame Sudan’s conflict, turning what began as an internal power struggle into a complex proxy war with international dimensions. As the conflict enters its fourth year with no resolution in sight, the involvement of foreign fighters and external support networks only complicates prospects for peace in the ravaged nation.
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8 Comments
The UN’s findings on Libya’s role in facilitating the movement of Colombian mercenaries to Sudan are deeply troubling. This type of cross-border interference in regional conflicts is a major obstacle to peace and stability in the region.
This is a disturbing report on Libya’s involvement in fueling the conflict in Sudan by facilitating the transfer of Colombian mercenaries. The UN’s findings highlight the complex and interconnected nature of regional conflicts and the role of militias in exacerbating them.
It’s concerning to see Libya playing such a pivotal role in this conflict by providing logistical support to the Rapid Support Forces in Sudan. This underscores the need for greater regional cooperation and accountability to address these issues.
The use of foreign mercenaries in regional conflicts is a troubling trend that often exacerbates violence and instability. I hope the UN’s findings will lead to increased pressure on Libya and other actors to cease these destabilizing activities.
The strategic location of the Libyan militia’s base near the borders with Sudan, Chad, and Egypt highlights the transnational nature of this conflict. Addressing the regional dynamics will be crucial for finding a sustainable solution.
The revelation that a Libyan militia facilitated the transfer of Colombian mercenaries to fight in the Sudan conflict is a concerning development. This underscores the complex web of regional alliances and proxy wars that are fueling instability in the area.
It’s troubling to see how Libya is leveraging its strategic location and military capabilities to meddle in the affairs of its neighbors. This highlights the need for greater regional cooperation and oversight to address these destabilizing activities.
While the details are disturbing, I’m glad the UN is shining a light on Libya’s role in this conflict. Uncovering these kinds of illicit cross-border activities is an important step towards accountability and preventing further escalation.