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The US government has imposed sanctions on a operation of four individuals and four companies charged of enlisting Colombian mercenaries to support and educate a militia force in Sudan which the US alleges of committing genocide.

Group Makeup

Disclosing the restrictions on this week, the US Treasury Department stated the operation was primarily made up of Colombian citizens and firms.

Numerous of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been recruited to go to the conflict in Sudan to fight alongside the RSF paramilitary group, a faction implicated in horrific war crimes such as ethnically targeted slaughter and large-scale abductions.

Revelation of Role

The participation of ex-soldiers first came to light in 2024, prompted by an report which revealed that over three hundred retired troops had been recruited to fight – an revelation that led to an unprecedented apology from officials in Bogotá.

Former Colombian military have historically been seen as highly prized fighters in conflict zones due to their vast combat experience gleaned from decades of civil war, training on Western military gear, and superior tactical education.

Reported Actions

In the conflict, the mercenaries have reportedly trained child soldiers, instructed militiamen in drone operation, and engaged in frontline combat. A mercenary was quoted as saying that training children was "awful and crazy" but commented that "unfortunately that’s how war is".

Sanctioned Individuals

Among those sanctioned was a retired Colombian officer, a dual Colombian-Italian national and former army officer operating from the United Arab Emirates. The Treasury said he had a pivotal function in enlisting and transporting mercenaries to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was penalized as well.

Also on the restricted list was Duque Botero, a dual Colombian-Spanish citizen who the Treasury stated managed a business accused of managing finances and payments for the recruitment operation. "Recently, companies in the United States linked to Duque carried out several money transfers, amounting to millions," the Treasury statement stated.

Colombian national Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the other individual to be sanctioned, with the entity she oversaw alleged to have money transfers associated with Duque and his companies.

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

Reaction

A senior analyst, with the International Crisis Group, called the measures as a "major" step, saying that "calling out those who are doing the contracting is the right way to go".

She added that, Colombia ratified a law ratifying the global treaty against mercenarism, designed to limit decades of Colombian involvement in foreign conflicts and reshape its security approach.

Another expert, a scholar on the subject, called for greater wariness, stating that "restrictions are needed but not enough for dealing with rampant mercenarism".

"It operates in the black market and operating from the UAE, which is largely insulated from sanctions," he stated. The United Arab Emirates has been frequently alleged of arming the RSF, claims it rejects. "This trend will probably continue," he advised.