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The Washington has enforced penalties on a group of four individuals and four companies alleged of hiring Colombian mercenaries to fight for and train a militia force in Sudan the United States claims of genocidal acts.

Operation Structure

Revealing the measures on Tuesday, the American treasury stated the scheme was mostly comprised of Colombian citizens and firms.

Hundreds of ex-soldiers from Colombia have allegedly journeyed to the conflict in Sudan to combat beside the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a force linked to terrible atrocities including ethnically targeted slaughter and widespread kidnappings.

Revelation of Role

The participation of ex-soldiers initially emerged in 2024, following an inquiry which found that more than 300 ex-military personnel had been hired to fight – an event that prompted an unprecedented apology from the Colombian government.

Colombian ex-soldiers have historically been seen as among the world’s most sought-after mercenaries 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 Sudanese theater, the Colombians have allegedly instructed underage fighters, taught fighters to pilot drones, and participated in direct battles. One source remarked that training children was "awful and crazy" but added that "regrettably, war operates that way".

Targeted Persons

Among those sanctioned was a retired Colombian officer, a dual Colombian-Italian national and former army officer based in the United Arab Emirates. The Treasury said he had a central role in hiring and sending former Colombian soldiers to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Oliveros, was similarly targeted.

Also on the penalty list was Mateo Andrés Duque Botero, a dual national who officials alleged managed a business accused of processing money and salaries for the recruitment operation. "Over the past two years, American entities linked to Duque conducted numerous wire transfers, worth millions," the Treasury statement noted.

Citizen of Colombia Mónica Muñoz was the other individual to be targeted, with the company she managed alleged to have financial transactions associated with Duque and his operations.

"The United States again calls on foreign parties to stop giving funding and arms to the combatants," the Treasury stated.

Reaction

Elizabeth Dickinson, with the International Crisis Group, described the actions as a "very significant" development, stating that "calling out those who are doing the contracting is the proper strategy".

It was also noted that, the Colombian government recently passed a statute approving the anti-mercenary convention, seeking to reduce years of participation by its nationals in international fights and reshape domestic defense strategy.

Sean McFate, a authority on private military contractors, advised additional measures, stating that "sanctions are necessary but insufficient for combating rampant mercenarism".

"This is a shadow economy and operating from the UAE, which is relatively sanction-proof," he stated. The Emirati government has been frequently alleged of providing arms to the militia, claims it rejects. "This trend will probably continue," he advised.