🔗 Share this article

The US government has enforced penalties on a group of four people and four firms charged of hiring South American contractors to fight for and train a militia force in Sudan the United States claims of acts of genocide.

Network Composition

Announcing the restrictions on Tuesday, the US Treasury Department stated the network was largely composed of individuals and businesses from Colombia.

Scores of retired Colombian troops have been recruited to go to the Sudanese warzone to operate with the Sudanese RSF militia, a group accused of horrific war crimes such as massacres based on ethnicity and mass abductions.

Revelation of Role

The participation of ex-soldiers first came to light in 2024, prompted by an inquiry which found that over three hundred former soldiers had been hired to engage in combat – an event that resulted in an unusual statement of regret from the Colombian government.

Former Colombian military have widely regarded as highly prized fighters in conflict zones due to their considerable warzone knowledge acquired during a long-running domestic war, training on advanced weaponry, and high-level combat training.

Activities in Sudan

In Sudan, the mercenaries have reportedly trained underage fighters, provided drone warfare training, and engaged in frontline combat. An individual involved previously stated that instructing minors was "horrific and irrational" but added that "regrettably, war operates that way".

Named Entities

Among those targeted was a dual national, a dual Colombian-Italian national and ex-soldier operating from the Dubai. The Treasury said he had a central role in enlisting and transporting former Colombian soldiers to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Oliveros, was also sanctioned.

Also on the restricted list was Mateo Duque Botero, a individual with Colombian and Spanish citizenship who officials alleged ran a firm accused of processing money and salaries for the recruitment operation. "In 2024 and 2025, US-based firms connected to Duque conducted several money transfers, totalling millions of US dollars," the official announcement noted.

Individual Mónica Muñoz was the final person to be penalized, with the firm she operated said to have conducted money transfers associated with Duque and his operations.

"The US once more urges external actors to cease providing financial and military support to the combatants," the agency said in a statement.

Analyst Commentary

An expert, from a conflict think tank, called the actions as a "major" development, saying that "calling out those who are doing the contracting is the proper strategy".

It was also noted that, Colombia recently passed a piece of legislation approving the anti-mercenary convention, seeking to reduce decades of Colombian involvement in overseas wars and change national security policy.

A mercenary specialist, a authority on private military contractors, called for greater wariness, stating that "penalties are required yet incomplete for combating widespread use of contractors".

"It’s an illicit economy and based out of Dubai, which is largely insulated from sanctions," he said. The Emirati government has been widely accused of providing arms to the militia, allegations it disputes. "Expect more Colombian mercenaries," he advised.