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The Washington has levied restrictions on a network of four people and four firms charged of recruiting Colombian mercenaries to support and educate a Sudanese paramilitary group that Washington accuses of committing genocide.

Operation Structure

Revealing the restrictions on this week, the American treasury stated the operation was largely composed of Colombian nationals and companies.

Scores of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been recruited to go to Sudan to combat beside the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a force accused of horrific war crimes encompassing massacres based on ethnicity and widespread kidnappings.

Revelation of Role

The involvement of Colombian fighters was first uncovered in 2024, prompted by an inquiry which disclosed that over three hundred retired troops had been hired to participate in the war – an event that prompted an rare mea culpa from the Colombian government.

These South American veterans have historically been seen as among the world’s most sought-after mercenaries due to their extensive battlefield experience acquired during decades of civil war, training on Western military gear, and elite military instruction.

Activities in Sudan

In the conflict, the mercenaries have allegedly instructed child soldiers, provided drone warfare training, and fought directly on the frontlines. A mercenary remarked that training children was "horrific and irrational" but commented that "sadly, that is the nature of conflict".

Sanctioned Individuals

Among those sanctioned was a dual national, a individual with dual citizenship and ex-soldier operating from the Dubai. The US authorities said he had a central role in recruiting and deploying former Colombian soldiers to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Oliveros, was similarly targeted.

Also on the sanctions list was Mateo Andrés Duque Botero, a dual Colombian-Spanish citizen who officials alleged ran a firm linked to managing finances and payments for the recruitment operation. "Recently, American entities linked to Duque conducted several money transfers, worth millions," the official announcement noted.

Colombian national Mónica Muñoz was the final person to be targeted, with the firm she operated alleged to have wire transfers associated with Duque and his businesses.

"The United States again calls on outside forces to cease providing monetary and weaponry aid to the belligerents," the agency said in a statement.

Reaction

Elizabeth Dickinson, with the International Crisis Group, labeled the measures as a "highly important" development, saying that "identifying the recruiters is the right way to go".

It was also noted that, the Colombian government ratified a piece of legislation ratifying the International Convention Against the Recruitment and Use of Mercenaries, aiming to curb decades of Colombian involvement in foreign conflicts and change national security policy.

Another expert, a authority on private military contractors, advised additional measures, noting that "restrictions are needed but not enough for combating the growing mercenary trade".

"It’s an illicit economy and centered in Dubai, which is largely insulated from sanctions," he said. The United Arab Emirates has been repeatedly implicated of arming the RSF, an accusation it has denied. "This trend will probably continue," the expert cautioned.