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The US government has levied restrictions on a operation of several persons and entities accused of enlisting Colombian mercenaries to combat alongside and instruct a armed faction in Sudan that Washington accuses of acts of genocide.

Operation Structure

Disclosing the restrictions on this week, the US Treasury Department stated the operation was largely composed of Colombian nationals and companies.

Hundreds of retired Colombian troops have been recruited to go to Sudan to operate with the RSF paramilitary group, a force linked to severe violations such as massacres based on ethnicity and mass abductions.

Discovery of Participation

The role of these mercenaries was first uncovered in 2024, after an inquiry which disclosed that more than 300 retired troops had been hired to participate in the war – an revelation that prompted an unprecedented apology from officials in Bogotá.

These South American veterans have widely regarded as among the world’s most sought-after mercenaries due to their extensive battlefield experience gleaned from years of internal conflict, training on Western military gear, and high-level combat training.

Activities in Sudan

In the conflict, the mercenaries have allegedly instructed minors, instructed militiamen in drone operation, and participated in direct battles. A mercenary remarked that training children was "terrible and insane" but noted that "regrettably, war operates that way".

Named Entities

Among those sanctioned was a retired Colombian officer, a citizen of both Colombia and Italy and retired Colombian military officer located in the United Arab Emirates. The Treasury accused him a central role in enlisting and transporting mercenaries to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was also sanctioned.

Also on the penalty list was Mateo Duque Botero, a individual with Colombian and Spanish citizenship who the Treasury stated managed a business linked to processing money and salaries for the recruitment operation. "Recently, US-based firms connected to Duque engaged in numerous wire transfers, worth millions," the Treasury statement stated.

Individual Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the final person to be penalized, with the firm she operated alleged to have money transfers connected to Duque and his businesses.

"The United States again calls on foreign parties to stop giving financial and military support to the warring parties," the department said in a statement.

Expert Analysis

A senior analyst, from a conflict think tank, labeled the actions as a "very significant" step, stating that "calling out those who are doing the contracting is the right way to go".

It was also noted that, Bogotá ratified a statute approving the International Convention Against the Recruitment and Use of Mercenaries, seeking to reduce decades of Colombian involvement in overseas wars and transform national security policy.

Sean McFate, a scholar on the subject, urged more caution, noting that "restrictions are needed but not enough for combating widespread use of contractors".

"It’s an illicit economy and centered in the UAE, which is largely insulated from sanctions," he stated. The United Arab Emirates has been frequently alleged of providing arms to the militia, claims it rejects. "This trend will probably continue," he advised.