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The United States has imposed sanctions on a network of four people and four firms charged of enlisting former Colombian soldiers to combat alongside and instruct a Sudanese paramilitary group that Washington accuses of committing genocide.

Network Composition

Disclosing the restrictions on this week, the American treasury stated the network was mostly comprised of individuals and businesses from Colombia.

Scores of ex-soldiers from Colombia have allegedly journeyed to Sudan to operate with the Sudanese RSF militia, a faction implicated in terrible atrocities encompassing massacres based on ethnicity and large-scale abductions.

Discovery of Participation

The role of these mercenaries first came to light in 2024, after an inquiry which disclosed that more than 300 retired troops had been hired to engage in combat – an discovery that prompted an rare mea culpa from the Colombian government.

These South American veterans have historically been seen as some of the most in-demand contractors globally due to their extensive battlefield experience resulting from decades of civil war, familiarity with advanced weaponry, and high-level combat training.

Reported Actions

In the conflict, the Colombians have allegedly instructed underage fighters, taught fighters to pilot drones, and engaged in frontline combat. One source remarked that instructing minors was "awful and crazy" but added that "regrettably, war operates that way".

Named Entities

Among those sanctioned was a dual national, a dual Colombian-Italian national and ex-soldier operating from the UAE. The Treasury accused him a central role in hiring and sending mercenaries to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was penalized as well.

Also on the sanctions list was Mateo Andrés Duque Botero, a individual with Colombian and Spanish citizenship who officials alleged ran a firm linked to handling funds and payroll for the scheme. "Over the past two years, American entities associated with Duque carried out several money transfers, amounting to millions," the Treasury statement said.

Colombian national Mónica Muñoz was the other individual to be sanctioned, with the firm she operated said to have conducted wire transfers linked to Duque and his operations.

"The US once more urges outside forces to halt the flow of funding and arms to the belligerents," the department announced.

Reaction

A senior analyst, senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, called the actions as a "major" milestone, saying that "targeting the enablers is the correct approach".

She added that, Colombia recently passed a piece of legislation endorsing the global treaty against mercenarism, seeking to reduce its citizens' long history in international fights and change national security policy.

A mercenary specialist, an expert on mercenaries, urged more caution, noting that "restrictions are needed but not enough for combating rampant mercenarism".

"It’s an illicit economy and based out of Dubai, which is largely insulated from sanctions," he commented. The UAE has been frequently alleged of supplying weapons to the paramilitary group, claims it rejects. "Expect more Colombian mercenaries," he advised.