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The United States has imposed sanctions on a operation of four people and four firms alleged of enlisting Colombian mercenaries to fight for and train a Sudanese paramilitary group that Washington accuses of genocidal acts.

Network Composition

Disclosing the restrictions on this week, the American treasury stated the network was primarily made up of Colombian nationals and companies.

Hundreds of retired Colombian troops have reportedly travelled to the Sudanese warzone to combat beside the Sudanese RSF militia, a faction linked to horrific war crimes such as ethnically targeted slaughter and mass abductions.

Emergence of Involvement

The participation of ex-soldiers initially emerged in 2024, following an investigation which disclosed that hundreds of ex-military personnel had been hired to participate in the war – an discovery that prompted an unusual statement of regret from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

Colombian ex-soldiers have historically been seen as among the world’s most sought-after mercenaries due to their considerable warzone knowledge gleaned from decades of civil war, familiarity with Nato equipment, and high-level combat training.

Reported Actions

In the Sudanese theater, the Colombians have reportedly trained minors, taught fighters to pilot drones, and fought directly on the frontlines. One source remarked that working with child soldiers was "horrific and irrational" but added that "regrettably, war operates that way".

Targeted Persons

Among those sanctioned was a dual national, a citizen of both Colombia and Italy and former army officer based in the United Arab Emirates. The Treasury said he had a key part in hiring and sending ex-military personnel to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Oliveros, was similarly targeted.

Also on the sanctions list was Mateo Andrés Duque Botero, a dual Colombian-Spanish citizen who the Treasury stated oversaw a company implicated in managing finances and payments for the scheme. "Recently, American entities associated with Duque conducted multiple financial transactions, worth millions," the Treasury statement stated.

Colombian national Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the fourth individual to be targeted, with the company she managed said to have conducted money transfers associated with Duque and his operations.

"The United States again calls on outside forces to stop giving monetary and weaponry aid to the belligerents," the department announced.

Reaction

A senior analyst, senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, labeled the sanctions as a "major" milestone, stating that "calling out those who are doing the contracting is the correct approach".

She added that, Colombia has enacted a law approving the International Convention Against the Recruitment and Use of Mercenaries, aiming to curb decades of Colombian involvement in overseas wars and transform national security policy.

Sean McFate, a authority on private military contractors, advised additional measures, stating that "penalties are required yet incomplete for dealing with the growing mercenary trade".

"It operates in the black market and based out of the Emirates, which is relatively sanction-proof," he said. The Emirati government has been frequently alleged of supplying weapons to the paramilitary group, an accusation it has denied. "This trend will probably continue," McFate warned.