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The US government has imposed sanctions on a network of several persons and entities charged of recruiting former Colombian soldiers to combat alongside and instruct a militia force in Sudan that Washington accuses of committing genocide.

Operation Structure

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

Scores of ex-soldiers from Colombia have reportedly travelled to the Sudanese warzone to fight alongside the RSF paramilitary group, a group linked to terrible atrocities such as ethnically targeted slaughter and large-scale abductions.

Revelation of Role

The participation of ex-soldiers first came to light last year, after an report which found that hundreds of former soldiers had been contracted to participate in the war – an event that led to an rare mea culpa from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

Colombian ex-soldiers have widely regarded as some of the most in-demand contractors globally due to their vast combat experience acquired during a long-running domestic war, knowledge of Nato equipment, and high-level combat training.

Role in the Conflict

In the Sudanese theater, the contractors have allegedly instructed child soldiers, instructed militiamen in drone operation, and participated in direct battles. A mercenary was quoted as saying that instructing minors was "terrible and insane" but commented that "unfortunately that’s how war is".

Targeted Persons

Among those targeted was a retired Colombian officer, a dual Colombian-Italian national and retired Colombian military officer operating from the United Arab Emirates. The Treasury alleged he played a key part in recruiting and deploying mercenaries to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was similarly targeted.

Also on the sanctions list was Mateo Andrés Duque Botero, a dual Colombian-Spanish citizen who authorities say managed a business implicated in processing money and salaries for the scheme. "Over the past two years, American entities associated with Duque conducted several money transfers, worth millions," the official announcement noted.

Colombian national Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the fourth individual to be penalized, with the entity she oversaw accused of financial transactions associated with Duque and his companies.

"Washington reiterates its demand for external actors to cease providing financial and military support to the combatants," the department stated.

Analyst Commentary

An expert, senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, labeled the sanctions as a "major" step, stating that "targeting the enablers is the right way to go".

She added that, Bogotá ratified a piece of legislation ratifying the International Convention Against the Recruitment and Use of Mercenaries, aiming to curb its citizens' long history in foreign conflicts and reshape its security approach.

A mercenary specialist, an expert on mercenaries, called for greater wariness, noting that "restrictions are needed but not enough for combating rampant mercenarism".

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