African state's PM calls on Colombia to stop flow of mercenaries
The minister made the demand in a letter published by the state-owned Sudan News Agency (SUNA) on Saturday and confirmed by Colombian President Gustavo Petro.
'In the spirit of creativity, solidarity, and commitment to peace, this call comes to stand firmly with us to end the siege of the city of El Fasher and stop the recruitment and deployment of mercenaries to our lands,' Idris stated.
His remarks come amid repeated allegations by the Sudanese transitional government that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is financing foreign mercenaries, including Colombian fighters aligned with the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in the ongoing conflict.
The African state claims it has 'irrefutable' evidence, submitted to the UN Security Council, confirming the UAE's actions, which it warns threaten peace and security in the region and the continent. Khartoum severed diplomatic ties with Abu Dhabi in May, accusing it of violating Sudanese sovereignty. The UAE has dismissed the claims as 'baseless allegations' and 'feeble media stunts.'
Earlier this month, Sudan's air force said it had destroyed an Emirati aircraft allegedly carrying Colombian militants as it landed at an RSF-held airport in Darfur, killing at least 40 people. Following the incident, Colombia's president announced he had asked parliament to grant emergency status to a bill outlawing mercenarism. He condemned the practice as a 'form of human trafficking, turning men into commodities for killing,' and branded those profiting from it as 'death bosses.'
In response to the Sudanese prime minister's message on Sunday, Petro urged 'young former soldiers and officers' not to sell themselves as hired fighters.
'Fight for your homeland, do not die in foreign wars,' he said in a post on X.
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