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The United States has imposed sanctions on a operation of four people and four firms charged of recruiting Colombian mercenaries to combat alongside and instruct a militia force in Sudan which the US alleges of genocidal acts.

Group Makeup

Announcing the sanctions on Tuesday, the Treasury stated the operation was mostly comprised of individuals and businesses from Colombia.

Scores of ex-soldiers from Colombia have reportedly travelled to the conflict in Sudan to fight alongside the RSF paramilitary group, a faction linked to horrific war crimes such as massacres based on ethnicity and large-scale abductions.

Revelation of Role

The involvement of Colombian fighters was first uncovered in 2024, following an investigation which revealed that hundreds of retired troops had been recruited to engage in combat – an revelation that prompted an unusual statement of regret from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

These South American veterans have widely regarded as some of the most in-demand contractors globally due to their vast combat experience resulting from years of internal conflict, knowledge of Nato equipment, and elite military instruction.

Role in the Conflict

In the conflict, the Colombians have allegedly instructed minors, taught fighters to pilot drones, and participated in direct battles. A mercenary previously stated that working with child soldiers was "horrific and irrational" but noted that "sadly, that is the nature of conflict".

Named Entities

Among those penalized was a dual national, a individual with dual citizenship and former army officer located in the United Arab Emirates. The government alleged he played a central role in enlisting and transporting former Colombian soldiers to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was similarly targeted.

Also on the sanctions list was Duque Botero, a individual with Colombian and Spanish citizenship who authorities say ran a firm accused of processing money and salaries for the recruitment operation. "Recently, US-based firms associated with Duque carried out multiple financial transactions, totalling millions of US dollars," the government release stated.

Citizen of Colombia Mónica Muñoz was the fourth individual to be penalized, with the entity she oversaw said to have conducted money transfers connected to Duque and his companies.

"Washington reiterates its demand for foreign parties to cease providing monetary and weaponry aid to the combatants," the Treasury said in a statement.

Reaction

An expert, from a conflict think tank, labeled the measures as a "highly important" step, stating that "targeting the enablers is the correct approach".

It was also noted that, Bogotá ratified a law ratifying the global treaty against mercenarism, seeking to reduce years of participation by its nationals in overseas wars and change its security approach.

A mercenary specialist, a scholar on the subject, called for greater wariness, stating that "restrictions are needed but not enough for addressing the growing mercenary trade".

"It’s an illicit economy and based out of the UAE, which is largely insulated from sanctions," he said. The Emirati government has been widely accused of supplying weapons to the paramilitary group, an accusation it has denied. "This trend will probably continue," the expert cautioned.