Key facts
- Child soldiers fighting for Sudan's RSF have described being chained to anti-aircraft guns and forced to fire them.
- Mercenaries, described as Colombians by RSF fighters, trained the children and instructed paramilitaries to strap them to weapons.
- Human rights groups and a UN panel have accused a UAE-linked firm of recruiting Colombians to fight with the RSF.
- The UAE has denied arming the RSF and recruiting foreign fighters.
- A former Colombian mercenary stated hundreds of Colombians were fighting with the RSF and involved in training recruits.
Child soldiers fighting for Sudan's paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have recounted harrowing experiences, including being chained to weapons and trained by Colombian mercenaries, according to a report by The Associated Press.
Rare firsthand accounts from former child soldiers at a rehabilitation center in Khartoum reveal the brutal realities of their conscription. One 15-year-old described being shackled to an anti-aircraft gun and forced to fire at army warplanes, under threat of death. Another recounted being forced to fire artillery at targets identified by drones, including civilians, and enduring beatings for any disobedience. Some children reported being beaten unconscious by Colombian trainers.
Human Rights Watch and Conflict Insights Group have documented the presence of Colombian mercenaries alongside the RSF, allegedly hired by an Emirati contractor and trained in UAE military bases. While the UAE has denied arming the RSF and recruiting foreign fighters, a UN panel has tracked weapons shipments to the group originating from the UAE. A Colombian mercenary confirmed that hundreds of Colombians were fighting with the RSF and involved in training recruits, noting children as young as 13 were seen fighting.
Even though the boys were forced to fight, many cannot return to their families due to their association with the RSF. Psychologists at the rehabilitation facility are working to persuade relatives not to abandon the boys, who are grappling with trauma. The UN children's agency is working to expedite the release of these child soldiers.