🔗 Share this article

The Washington has imposed sanctions on a group of four people and four firms alleged of enlisting Colombian mercenaries to support and educate a Sudanese paramilitary group that Washington accuses of acts of genocide.

Network Composition

Revealing the sanctions on Tuesday, the Treasury stated the network was largely composed of Colombian nationals and companies.

Numerous of retired Colombian troops have reportedly travelled to Sudan to operate with the Sudanese RSF militia, a faction linked to terrible atrocities encompassing targeted ethnic killings and large-scale abductions.

Discovery of Participation

The involvement of Colombian fighters first came to light last year, following an inquiry which revealed that more than 300 ex-military personnel had been contracted to participate in the war – an discovery that prompted an unprecedented apology from officials in Bogotá.

These South American veterans have historically been seen as some of the most in-demand contractors globally due to their vast combat experience resulting from a long-running domestic war, familiarity with Western military gear, and high-level combat training.

Activities in Sudan

In the Sudanese theater, the Colombians have been accused of teaching child soldiers, instructed militiamen in drone operation, and engaged in frontline combat. A mercenary was quoted as saying that instructing minors was "horrific and irrational" but noted that "regrettably, war operates that way".

Named Entities

Among those sanctioned was a dual national, a citizen of both Colombia and Italy and ex-soldier operating from the UAE. The Treasury said he had a central role in recruiting and deploying mercenaries to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Oliveros, was similarly targeted.

Also on the restricted list was Mateo Andrés Duque Botero, a individual with Colombian and Spanish citizenship who the Treasury stated managed a business linked to managing finances and payments for the network. "In 2024 and 2025, companies in the United States associated with Duque engaged in numerous wire transfers, amounting to millions," the official announcement said.

Citizen of Colombia Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the final person to be penalized, with the entity she oversaw accused of financial transactions connected to Duque and his businesses.

"The US once more urges outside forces to stop giving monetary and weaponry aid to the warring parties," the department announced.

Expert Analysis

Elizabeth Dickinson, with the International Crisis Group, described the sanctions as a "very significant" development, stating that "targeting the enablers is the correct approach".

She added that, the Colombian government ratified a statute endorsing the global treaty against mercenarism, designed to limit its citizens' long history in foreign conflicts and change domestic defense strategy.

Another expert, a scholar on the subject, called for greater wariness, saying 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 said. The United Arab Emirates has been repeatedly implicated of arming the RSF, allegations it disputes. "This trend will probably continue," McFate warned.