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The US government has imposed sanctions on a operation of four individuals and four companies charged of enlisting Colombian mercenaries to fight for and train a armed faction in Sudan that Washington accuses of acts of genocide.

Operation Structure

Disclosing the measures on this week, the Treasury stated the operation was primarily made up of Colombian nationals and companies.

Hundreds of former Colombian military personnel have allegedly journeyed to the Sudanese warzone to operate with the Sudanese RSF militia, a faction accused of severe violations including massacres based on ethnicity and mass abductions.

Discovery of Participation

The participation of ex-soldiers initially emerged the previous year, after an investigation which found that more than 300 ex-military personnel had been recruited to participate in the war – an revelation that prompted an rare mea culpa from the Colombian government.

Colombian ex-soldiers have historically been seen as highly prized fighters in conflict zones due to their extensive battlefield experience resulting from decades of civil war, training on advanced weaponry, and elite military instruction.

Role in the Conflict

In Sudan, the mercenaries have reportedly trained minors, taught fighters to pilot drones, and fought directly on the frontlines. An individual involved was quoted as saying that working with child soldiers was "awful and crazy" but commented that "regrettably, war operates that way".

Named Entities

Among those sanctioned was a dual national, a dual Colombian-Italian national and retired Colombian military officer located in the United Arab Emirates. The US authorities said he had a central role in recruiting and deploying mercenaries to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was similarly targeted.

Also on the restricted list was Duque Botero, a dual Colombian-Spanish citizen who authorities say managed a business implicated in handling funds and payroll for the network. "In 2024 and 2025, American entities associated with Duque carried out several money transfers, amounting to millions," the official announcement said.

Citizen of Colombia Mónica Muñoz was the fourth individual to be penalized, with the firm she operated said to have conducted money transfers linked to Duque and his operations.

"Washington reiterates its demand for external actors to cease providing monetary and weaponry aid to the belligerents," the agency announced.

Expert Analysis

An expert, from a conflict think tank, labeled the sanctions as a "major" development, noting that "calling out those who are doing the contracting is the right way to go".

It was also noted that, Colombia ratified a statute ratifying the global treaty against mercenarism, aiming to curb its citizens' long history in overseas wars and transform its security approach.

Another expert, an expert on mercenaries, called for greater wariness, noting that "penalties are required yet incomplete for dealing with widespread use of contractors".

"This is a shadow economy and based out of the UAE, which is relatively sanction-proof," he stated. The United Arab Emirates has been frequently alleged of supplying weapons to the paramilitary group, allegations it disputes. "More contractors from Colombia are likely," he advised.