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The Washington has imposed sanctions on a network of four people and four firms charged of enlisting Colombian mercenaries to combat alongside and instruct a militia force in Sudan that Washington accuses of committing genocide.

Operation Structure

Disclosing the sanctions on Tuesday, the Treasury stated the operation was primarily made up of Colombian citizens and firms.

Numerous of retired Colombian troops have allegedly journeyed to the conflict in Sudan to combat beside the Sudanese RSF militia, a faction accused of severe violations including ethnically targeted slaughter and large-scale abductions.

Discovery of Participation

The involvement of Colombian fighters was first uncovered in 2024, following an investigation which revealed that hundreds of retired troops had been contracted to fight – an event that prompted an unprecedented apology from officials in Bogotá.

These South American veterans have long been considered as highly prized fighters in conflict zones due to their vast combat experience acquired during a long-running domestic war, training on Western military gear, and elite military instruction.

Role in the Conflict

In the conflict, the mercenaries have been accused of teaching underage fighters, instructed militiamen in drone operation, and participated in direct battles. A mercenary remarked that instructing minors was "horrific and irrational" but noted that "regrettably, war operates that way".

Named Entities

Among those penalized was a dual national, a dual Colombian-Italian national and ex-soldier based in the Dubai. The US authorities alleged he played a pivotal function in enlisting and transporting former Colombian soldiers to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was also sanctioned.

Also on the penalty list was Mateo Andrés Duque Botero, a individual with Colombian and Spanish citizenship who the Treasury stated managed a business linked to handling funds and payroll for the scheme. "Recently, US-based firms connected to Duque engaged in multiple financial transactions, amounting to millions," the Treasury statement noted.

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

"The United States again calls on external actors to stop giving monetary and weaponry aid to the warring parties," the department said in a statement.

Reaction

Elizabeth Dickinson, with the International Crisis Group, labeled the measures as a "very significant" milestone, saying that "calling out those who are doing the contracting is the correct approach".

She added that, Bogotá recently passed a statute approving the anti-mercenary convention, seeking to reduce its citizens' long history in international fights and change domestic defense strategy.

A mercenary specialist, an expert on mercenaries, called for greater wariness, stating that "sanctions are necessary but insufficient for combating the growing mercenary trade".

"It operates in the black market and centered in the Emirates, which is relatively sanction-proof," he said. The Emirati government has been widely accused of arming the RSF, claims it rejects. "Expect more Colombian mercenaries," he advised.