🔗 Share this article

The Washington has levied restrictions on a operation of four individuals and four companies alleged of hiring South American contractors to support and educate a Sudanese paramilitary group which the US alleges of acts of genocide.

Group Makeup

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

Hundreds of retired Colombian troops have allegedly journeyed to Sudan to fight alongside the Sudanese RSF militia, a group implicated in terrible atrocities including targeted ethnic killings and mass abductions.

Revelation of Role

The involvement of Colombian fighters initially emerged in 2024, following an investigation which disclosed that hundreds of former soldiers had been contracted to fight – an revelation that resulted in an unusual statement of regret from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

Colombian ex-soldiers have widely regarded as highly prized fighters in conflict zones due to their vast combat experience gleaned from a long-running domestic war, knowledge of Nato equipment, and elite military instruction.

Role in the Conflict

In the Sudanese theater, the contractors have allegedly instructed minors, instructed militiamen in drone operation, and fought directly on the frontlines. One source previously stated that instructing minors was "awful and crazy" but added that "sadly, that is the nature of conflict".

Named Entities

Among those targeted was a dual national, a citizen of both Colombia and Italy and retired Colombian military officer based in the Dubai. The government alleged he played a pivotal function in recruiting and deploying ex-military personnel to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was similarly targeted.

Also on the penalty list was Mateo Duque Botero, a dual national who authorities say managed a business implicated in handling funds and payroll for the scheme. "In 2024 and 2025, US-based firms connected to Duque carried out multiple financial transactions, amounting to millions," the Treasury statement noted.

Citizen of Colombia Mónica Muñoz was the fourth individual to be targeted, with the company she managed accused of wire transfers connected to Duque and his businesses.

"The US once more urges external actors to halt the flow of monetary and weaponry aid to the combatants," the Treasury announced.

Reaction

A senior analyst, senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, labeled the measures as a "major" step, saying that "identifying the recruiters is the right way to go".

Furthermore, Bogotá has enacted a statute endorsing the global treaty against mercenarism, seeking to reduce years of participation by its nationals in foreign conflicts and reshape its security approach.

A mercenary specialist, a scholar on the subject, called for greater wariness, noting that "sanctions are necessary but insufficient for combating rampant mercenarism".

"It operates in the black market and based out of Dubai, which is relatively sanction-proof," he commented. The United Arab Emirates has been repeatedly implicated of supplying weapons to the paramilitary group, an accusation it has denied. "More contractors from Colombia are likely," he advised.