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The United States has enforced penalties on a network of several persons and entities accused of hiring former Colombian soldiers to combat alongside and instruct a Sudanese paramilitary group that Washington accuses of genocidal acts.

Operation Structure

Disclosing the sanctions on Tuesday, the Treasury stated the network was largely composed of Colombian nationals and companies.

Scores of ex-soldiers from Colombia have allegedly journeyed to the conflict in Sudan to combat beside the RSF paramilitary group, a force implicated in severe violations encompassing massacres based on ethnicity and mass abductions.

Discovery of Participation

The involvement of Colombian fighters was first uncovered in 2024, after an investigation which found that hundreds of ex-military personnel had been contracted to engage in combat – an discovery that led to an unusual statement of regret from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

Former Colombian military have long been considered as some of the most in-demand contractors globally due to their considerable warzone knowledge gleaned from a long-running domestic war, familiarity with Nato equipment, and superior tactical education.

Role in the Conflict

In Sudan, the Colombians have allegedly instructed minors, taught fighters to pilot drones, and participated in direct battles. An individual involved was quoted as saying that working with child soldiers was "terrible and insane" but commented that "sadly, that is the nature of conflict".

Targeted Persons

Among those targeted was a retired Colombian officer, a dual Colombian-Italian national and ex-soldier based in the UAE. The US authorities accused him a key part in hiring and sending ex-military personnel to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Oliveros, was also sanctioned.

Also on the restricted list was Duque Botero, a dual national who the Treasury stated ran a firm implicated in managing finances and payments for the scheme. "Recently, American entities linked to Duque engaged in multiple financial transactions, amounting to millions," the official announcement said.

Individual Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the final person to be sanctioned, with the firm she operated alleged to have wire transfers connected to Duque and his businesses.

"Washington reiterates its demand for outside forces to cease providing funding and arms to the warring parties," the department announced.

Reaction

An expert, from a conflict think tank, described the actions as a "major" step, saying that "identifying the recruiters is the right way to go".

Furthermore, Bogotá recently passed a statute endorsing the anti-mercenary convention, aiming to curb decades of Colombian involvement in foreign conflicts and change its security approach.

A mercenary specialist, an expert on mercenaries, called for greater wariness, saying that "penalties are required yet incomplete for addressing widespread use of contractors".

"It’s an illicit economy and based out of the UAE, which is difficult to penalize," he said. The Emirati government has been widely accused of arming the RSF, an accusation it has denied. "This trend will probably continue," McFate warned.