🔗 Share this article

The Washington has levied restrictions on a operation of several persons and entities charged of enlisting Colombian mercenaries to combat alongside and instruct a Sudanese paramilitary group that Washington accuses of acts of genocide.

Operation Structure

Revealing the restrictions on Tuesday, the Treasury stated the operation was largely composed of Colombian citizens and firms.

Numerous of ex-soldiers from Colombia have reportedly travelled to the conflict in Sudan to combat beside the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a group accused of horrific war crimes such as targeted ethnic killings and large-scale abductions.

Discovery of Participation

The role of these mercenaries first came to light in 2024, after an report which disclosed that hundreds of retired troops had been hired to engage in combat – an revelation that led to an unusual statement of regret from the Colombian government.

These South American veterans have historically been seen as some of the most in-demand contractors globally due to their extensive battlefield experience acquired during decades of civil war, familiarity with advanced weaponry, and superior tactical education.

Reported Actions

In the Sudanese theater, the Colombians have reportedly trained minors, provided drone warfare training, and engaged in frontline combat. A mercenary remarked that working with child soldiers was "terrible and insane" but added that "sadly, that is the nature of conflict".

Named Entities

Among those penalized was a retired Colombian officer, a dual Colombian-Italian national and former army officer located in the UAE. The government alleged he played a key part in enlisting and transporting mercenaries to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Oliveros, was similarly targeted.

Also on the penalty list was Mateo Andrés Duque Botero, a dual Colombian-Spanish citizen who officials alleged managed a business linked to managing finances and payments for the recruitment operation. "Recently, companies in the United States connected to Duque conducted several money transfers, totalling millions of US dollars," the official announcement noted.

Citizen of Colombia Mónica Muñoz was the final person to be targeted, with the firm she operated accused of financial transactions linked to Duque and his businesses.

"The United States again calls on external actors to cease providing financial and military support to the belligerents," the Treasury said in a statement.

Reaction

A senior analyst, senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, called the actions as a "highly important" development, stating that "identifying the recruiters is the right way to go".

She added that, Bogotá has enacted a statute ratifying the global treaty against mercenarism, designed to limit its citizens' long history in foreign conflicts and reshape its security approach.

Another expert, a scholar on the subject, urged more caution, stating that "penalties are required yet incomplete for dealing with the growing mercenary trade".

"This is a shadow economy and centered in the Emirates, which is relatively sanction-proof," he said. The Emirati government has been repeatedly implicated of arming the RSF, an accusation it has denied. "This trend will probably continue," he advised.