🔗 Share this article

The Washington has imposed sanctions on a network of four individuals and four companies alleged of hiring Colombian mercenaries to support and educate a armed faction in Sudan the United States claims of committing genocide.

Network Composition

Disclosing the sanctions on this week, the Treasury stated the operation was mostly comprised of Colombian nationals and companies.

Scores of former Colombian military personnel have allegedly journeyed to the conflict in Sudan to operate with the RSF paramilitary group, a group accused of severe violations such as ethnically targeted slaughter and mass abductions.

Emergence of Involvement

The role of these mercenaries initially emerged the previous year, after an investigation which found that hundreds of former soldiers had been contracted to engage in combat – an event that resulted in an unprecedented apology from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

These South American veterans have historically been seen as highly prized fighters in conflict zones due to their considerable warzone knowledge resulting from years of internal conflict, training on Nato equipment, and elite military instruction.

Activities in Sudan

In the Sudanese theater, the mercenaries have reportedly trained underage fighters, taught fighters to pilot drones, and participated in direct battles. An individual involved was quoted as saying that working with child soldiers was "awful and crazy" but commented that "sadly, that is the nature of conflict".

Sanctioned Individuals

Among those targeted was a retired Colombian officer, a individual with dual citizenship and ex-soldier operating from the UAE. The US authorities accused him a pivotal function in recruiting and deploying former Colombian soldiers to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was penalized as well.

Also on the restricted list was Mateo Andrés Duque Botero, a dual national who authorities say ran a firm linked to handling funds and payroll for the scheme. "In 2024 and 2025, American entities associated with Duque conducted several money transfers, amounting to millions," the government release noted.

Colombian national Mónica Muñoz was the final person to be sanctioned, with the firm she operated alleged to have money transfers connected to Duque and his operations.

"Washington reiterates its demand for external actors to stop giving financial and military support to the belligerents," the agency stated.

Analyst Commentary

A senior analyst, from a conflict think tank, labeled the actions as a "major" step, saying that "calling out those who are doing the contracting is the proper strategy".

It was also noted that, Colombia has enacted a statute ratifying the International Convention Against the Recruitment and Use of Mercenaries, designed to limit decades of Colombian involvement in overseas wars and change national security policy.

A mercenary specialist, a scholar on the subject, advised additional measures, noting that "penalties are required yet incomplete for combating rampant mercenarism".

"This is a shadow economy and operating from the UAE, which is largely insulated from sanctions," he said. The Emirati government has been repeatedly implicated of supplying weapons to the paramilitary group, allegations it disputes. "This trend will probably continue," McFate warned.