Takeaways from AP story on child soldiers trained by Colombian mercenaries in Sudan
Summary
A report by The Associated Press reveals that child soldiers in Sudan’s conflict are being trained by Colombian mercenaries working with Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The report includes first-hand accounts from former child soldiers describing harsh conditions and forced combat roles.Key Facts
- Tens of thousands of children, some as young as 8, have been forced to fight in Sudan’s ongoing conflict.
- Former child soldiers described being tied to weapons and threatened with death if they did not follow orders.
- Colombian mercenaries, veterans of Colombia’s internal conflicts, have been hired to train these child soldiers.
- The RSF has been accused of human rights abuses and using child soldiers on the front lines.
- A United Nations panel reported that weapons sent to the RSF came from the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
- The UAE denies supplying arms or recruiting fighters for the RSF, claiming shipments were humanitarian aid.
- The child soldiers spoke about brutal treatment, including beatings and torture for disobedience.
- The accounts were gathered from children at a military-run rehabilitation center in Sudan’s capital, Khartoum.
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