US sanctions network recruiting Colombians to fight in Sudan civil war

​​​​​​​By Yasin Gungor

ISTANBUL (AA) - The US Treasury Department imposed sanctions Tuesday on four individuals and four entities accused of recruiting fighters for the civil war in Sudan.

The agency said the transnational network, primarily composed of Colombian nationals and companies, "recruits former Colombian military personnel and trains soldiers, including children," to fight for the rebel Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

"The RSF has shown again and again that it is willing to target civilians—including infants and young children. Its brutality has deepened the conflict and destabilized the region, creating the conditions for terrorist groups to grow," said Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence John Hurley.

The agency said the network fuels a conflict that has provoked the world's "worst ongoing humanitarian crisis."

The conflict between the Sudanese army and the RSF, which began in April 2023, has since killed thousands and displaced millions in Sudan.