🔗 Share this article

The Washington has enforced penalties on a group of four people and four firms charged of hiring former Colombian soldiers to fight for and train a militia force in Sudan that Washington accuses of acts of genocide.

Operation Structure

Disclosing the sanctions on Tuesday, the US Treasury Department stated the network was mostly comprised of Colombian nationals and companies.

Scores of former Colombian military personnel have allegedly journeyed to the conflict in Sudan to fight alongside the RSF paramilitary group, a faction accused of severe violations encompassing massacres based on ethnicity and large-scale abductions.

Emergence of Involvement

The participation of ex-soldiers initially emerged the previous year, prompted by an inquiry which found that hundreds of ex-military personnel had been recruited to participate in the war – an discovery that led to an rare mea culpa from officials in Bogotá.

These South American veterans have historically been seen as highly prized fighters in conflict zones due to their vast combat experience gleaned from years of internal conflict, training on advanced weaponry, and superior tactical education.

Reported Actions

In the conflict, the mercenaries have allegedly instructed minors, instructed militiamen in drone operation, and participated in direct battles. A mercenary previously stated that training children was "horrific and irrational" but noted that "sadly, that is the nature of conflict".

Sanctioned Individuals

Among those sanctioned was a dual national, a dual Colombian-Italian national and former army officer based in the United Arab Emirates. The US authorities said he had a central role in recruiting and deploying former Colombian soldiers to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was also sanctioned.

Also on the penalty list was Duque Botero, a dual national who the Treasury stated ran a firm accused of managing finances and payments for the recruitment operation. "In 2024 and 2025, companies in the United States linked to Duque engaged in multiple financial transactions, worth millions," the government release noted.

Colombian national Mónica Muñoz was the fourth individual to be penalized, with the entity she oversaw alleged to have wire transfers connected to Duque and his companies.

"Washington reiterates its demand for external actors to halt the flow of monetary and weaponry aid to the warring parties," the department announced.

Analyst Commentary

A senior analyst, senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, described the actions as a "major" development, noting that "targeting the enablers is the proper strategy".

It was also noted that, Bogotá recently passed a statute endorsing the International Convention Against the Recruitment and Use of Mercenaries, aiming to curb decades of Colombian involvement in international fights and transform national security policy.

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

"It’s an illicit economy and operating from Dubai, which is largely insulated from sanctions," he stated. The UAE has been frequently alleged of providing arms to the militia, an accusation it has denied. "More contractors from Colombia are likely," he advised.