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The United States has imposed sanctions on a operation of four individuals and four companies accused of hiring Colombian mercenaries to fight for and train a militia force in Sudan which the US alleges of genocidal acts.

Group Makeup

Announcing the restrictions on Tuesday, the US Treasury Department stated the operation was largely composed of Colombian nationals and companies.

Numerous of former Colombian military personnel have reportedly travelled to the conflict in Sudan to fight alongside the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a force implicated in severe violations encompassing massacres based on ethnicity and mass abductions.

Emergence of Involvement

The involvement of Colombian fighters first came to light in 2024, after an report which found that hundreds of former soldiers had been contracted to engage in combat – an discovery that resulted in an unusual statement of regret from the Colombian government.

These South American veterans have widely regarded as highly prized fighters in conflict zones due to their vast combat experience resulting from decades of civil war, knowledge of Western military gear, and superior tactical education.

Reported Actions

In the Sudanese theater, the contractors have been accused of teaching underage fighters, instructed militiamen in drone operation, and fought directly on the frontlines. One source remarked that working with child soldiers was "terrible and insane" but commented that "regrettably, war operates that way".

Named Entities

Among those penalized was a retired Colombian officer, a individual with dual citizenship and ex-soldier located in the United Arab Emirates. The Treasury accused him a central role in recruiting and deploying ex-military personnel to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was penalized as well.

Also on the restricted list was Duque Botero, a dual Colombian-Spanish citizen who officials alleged ran a firm accused of managing finances and payments for the recruitment operation. "Recently, US-based firms linked to Duque conducted several money transfers, amounting to millions," the Treasury statement stated.

Individual Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the other individual to be sanctioned, with the firm she operated alleged to have financial transactions connected to Duque and his businesses.

"The United States again calls on external actors to halt the flow of financial and military support to the belligerents," the agency said in a statement.

Reaction

Elizabeth Dickinson, with the International Crisis Group, called the measures as a "very significant" milestone, saying that "identifying the recruiters is the right way to go".

She added that, the Colombian government has enacted a statute endorsing the global treaty against mercenarism, seeking to reduce decades of Colombian involvement in foreign conflicts and transform its security approach.

Another expert, a authority on private military contractors, advised additional measures, noting that "sanctions are necessary but insufficient for addressing the growing mercenary trade".

"It’s an illicit economy and based out of the Emirates, which is largely insulated from sanctions," he said. The UAE has been repeatedly implicated of providing arms to the militia, claims it rejects. "More contractors from Colombia are likely," the expert cautioned.