🔗 Share this article

The United States has levied restrictions on a operation of several persons and entities charged of enlisting Colombian mercenaries to fight for and train a militia force in Sudan that Washington accuses of committing genocide.

Network Composition

Disclosing the sanctions on this week, the American treasury stated the operation was mostly comprised of Colombian nationals and companies.

Scores of former Colombian military personnel have been recruited to go to the conflict in Sudan to combat beside the Sudanese RSF militia, a faction linked to terrible atrocities encompassing ethnically targeted slaughter and widespread kidnappings.

Discovery of Participation

The role of these mercenaries first came to light in 2024, prompted by an investigation which disclosed that over three hundred retired troops had been hired to participate in the war – an revelation that led to an rare mea culpa from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

These South American veterans have long been considered as some of the most in-demand contractors globally due to their extensive battlefield experience gleaned from years of internal conflict, familiarity with Nato equipment, and superior tactical education.

Role in the Conflict

In the conflict, the Colombians have reportedly trained underage fighters, taught fighters to pilot drones, and fought directly on the frontlines. A mercenary was quoted as saying that training children was "awful and crazy" but commented that "sadly, that is the nature of conflict".

Targeted Persons

Among those penalized was a retired Colombian officer, a individual with dual citizenship and former army officer located in the Dubai. The government said he had a pivotal function in hiring and sending former Colombian soldiers to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Oliveros, was also sanctioned.

Also on the restricted list was Mateo Duque Botero, a dual national who officials alleged managed a business implicated in processing money and salaries for the scheme. "Recently, US-based firms linked to Duque engaged in multiple financial transactions, totalling millions of US dollars," the Treasury statement said.

Individual Mónica Muñoz was the final person to be penalized, with the company she managed alleged to have financial transactions connected to Duque and his operations.

"The United States again calls on external actors to stop giving funding and arms to the belligerents," the agency announced.

Analyst Commentary

Elizabeth Dickinson, with the International Crisis Group, called the measures as a "major" milestone, noting that "identifying the recruiters is the proper strategy".

She added that, Bogotá recently passed a law ratifying the anti-mercenary convention, seeking to reduce years of participation by its nationals in overseas wars and transform national security policy.

A mercenary specialist, a authority on private military contractors, called for greater wariness, noting that "restrictions are needed but not enough for combating the growing mercenary trade".

"It operates in the black market and centered in the UAE, which is largely insulated from sanctions," he said. The UAE has been repeatedly implicated of providing arms to the militia, allegations it disputes. "More contractors from Colombia are likely," he advised.