Washington Levies Penalties on Operation Accused of Channeling Colombian Fighters to Sudan.

The US government has imposed sanctions on a network of several persons and entities accused of hiring Colombian mercenaries to fight for and train a militia force in Sudan the United States claims of genocidal acts.

Network Composition

Revealing the sanctions on Tuesday, the Treasury stated the operation was primarily made up of individuals and businesses from Colombia.

Hundreds of ex-soldiers from Colombia have reportedly travelled to Sudan to operate with the RSF paramilitary group, a faction accused of horrific war crimes including ethnically targeted slaughter and large-scale abductions.

Revelation of Role

The participation of ex-soldiers first came to light last year, prompted by an investigation which revealed that over three hundred retired troops had been contracted to fight – an event that led to an unusual statement of regret from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

These South American veterans have historically been seen as among the world’s most sought-after mercenaries due to their considerable warzone knowledge gleaned from decades of civil war, training on advanced weaponry, and elite military instruction.

Role in the Conflict

In the Sudanese theater, the Colombians have reportedly trained minors, instructed militiamen in drone operation, and engaged in frontline combat. An individual involved previously stated that training children was "awful and crazy" but noted that "regrettably, war operates that way".

Sanctioned Individuals

Among those penalized was a dual national, a individual with dual citizenship and ex-soldier based in the United Arab Emirates. The Treasury alleged he played a pivotal function in recruiting and deploying mercenaries to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was similarly targeted.

Also on the sanctions list was Mateo Andrés Duque Botero, a dual national who authorities say managed a business linked to processing money and salaries for the scheme. "In 2024 and 2025, American entities linked to Duque conducted numerous wire transfers, totalling millions of US dollars," the government release noted.

Citizen of Colombia Mónica Muñoz was the other individual to be targeted, with the company she managed alleged to have money transfers connected to Duque and his companies.

"The United States again calls on outside forces to stop giving monetary and weaponry aid to the combatants," the agency said in a statement.

Reaction

Elizabeth Dickinson, senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, labeled the measures as a "highly important" development, saying that "targeting the enablers is the right way to go".

Furthermore, Colombia has enacted a statute ratifying the anti-mercenary convention, seeking to reduce decades of Colombian involvement in overseas wars and reshape national security policy.

Another expert, a authority on private military contractors, called for greater wariness, saying that "penalties are required yet incomplete for dealing with rampant mercenarism".

"This is a shadow economy and operating from the UAE, which is relatively sanction-proof," he commented. The UAE has been widely accused of arming the RSF, allegations it disputes. "This trend will probably continue," he advised.