🔗 Share this article

The US government has enforced penalties on a network of four individuals and four companies alleged of enlisting South American contractors to fight for and train a militia force in Sudan the United States claims of acts of genocide.

Operation Structure

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

Hundreds of former Colombian military personnel have been recruited to go to the conflict in Sudan to fight alongside the RSF paramilitary group, a faction implicated in terrible atrocities such as targeted ethnic killings and widespread kidnappings.

Discovery of Participation

The participation of ex-soldiers initially emerged the previous year, following an inquiry which revealed that more than 300 retired troops had been recruited to participate in the war – an discovery that led to an unusual statement of regret from the Colombian government.

Colombian ex-soldiers have widely regarded as highly prized fighters in conflict zones due to their extensive battlefield experience gleaned from decades of civil war, familiarity with Western military gear, and superior tactical education.

Role in the Conflict

In Sudan, the contractors have reportedly trained underage fighters, provided drone warfare training, and fought directly on the frontlines. One source remarked that instructing minors was "terrible and insane" but noted that "unfortunately that’s how war is".

Sanctioned Individuals

Among those penalized was a retired Colombian officer, a individual with dual citizenship and retired Colombian military officer located in the UAE. The government said he had a pivotal function in hiring and sending mercenaries to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was penalized as well.

Also on the restricted list was Mateo Duque Botero, a dual Colombian-Spanish citizen who authorities say ran a firm linked to managing finances and payments for the scheme. "In 2024 and 2025, US-based firms associated with Duque carried out multiple financial transactions, totalling millions of US dollars," the official announcement noted.

Colombian national Mónica Muñoz was the other individual to be sanctioned, with the company she managed said to have conducted money transfers associated with Duque and his companies.

"The United States again calls on foreign parties to cease providing financial and military support to the warring parties," the agency said in a statement.

Expert Analysis

Elizabeth Dickinson, from a conflict think tank, described the sanctions as a "very significant" milestone, saying that "targeting the enablers is the correct approach".

Furthermore, Colombia ratified a piece of legislation approving the anti-mercenary convention, seeking to reduce its citizens' long history in international fights and transform its security approach.

Another expert, a authority on private military contractors, called for greater wariness, stating that "restrictions are needed but not enough for addressing widespread use of contractors".

"This is a shadow economy and operating from the Emirates, which is largely insulated from sanctions," he stated. The United Arab Emirates has been repeatedly implicated of providing arms to the militia, an accusation it has denied. "This trend will probably continue," he advised.