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The Washington has imposed sanctions on a operation of several persons and entities alleged of recruiting former Colombian soldiers to combat alongside and instruct a militia force in Sudan which the US alleges of acts of genocide.

Group Makeup

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

Hundreds of ex-soldiers from Colombia have allegedly journeyed to the Sudanese warzone to operate with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a faction accused of severe violations such as massacres based on ethnicity and large-scale abductions.

Emergence of Involvement

The role of these mercenaries initially emerged last year, prompted by an investigation which found that hundreds of ex-military personnel had been contracted to engage in combat – an revelation that led to an unprecedented apology from officials in Bogotá.

These South American veterans have widely regarded as highly prized fighters in conflict zones due to their considerable warzone knowledge resulting from decades of civil war, knowledge of advanced weaponry, and high-level combat training.

Reported Actions

In Sudan, the mercenaries have reportedly trained child soldiers, instructed militiamen in drone operation, and participated in direct battles. An individual involved remarked that training children was "terrible and insane" but added that "regrettably, war operates that way".

Sanctioned Individuals

Among those sanctioned was a retired Colombian officer, a citizen of both Colombia and Italy and former army officer based in the UAE. The US authorities alleged he played a central role in recruiting and deploying mercenaries to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was also sanctioned.

Also on the sanctions list was Duque Botero, a individual with Colombian and Spanish citizenship who officials alleged managed a business accused of managing finances and payments for the scheme. "In 2024 and 2025, US-based firms associated with Duque carried out several money transfers, amounting to millions," the official announcement stated.

Citizen of Colombia Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the fourth individual to be penalized, with the firm she operated said to have conducted wire transfers connected to Duque and his operations.

"The United States again calls on external actors to cease providing monetary and weaponry aid to the belligerents," the department said in a statement.

Analyst Commentary

Elizabeth Dickinson, from a conflict think tank, described the actions as a "highly important" development, saying that "targeting the enablers is the proper strategy".

Furthermore, the Colombian government recently passed a law ratifying the International Convention Against the Recruitment and Use of Mercenaries, designed to limit its citizens' long history in international fights and transform its security approach.

Another expert, an expert on mercenaries, advised additional measures, noting that "sanctions are necessary but insufficient for combating widespread use of contractors".

"This is a shadow economy and centered in Dubai, which is difficult to penalize," he stated. The Emirati government has been frequently alleged of providing arms to the militia, allegations it disputes. "This trend will probably continue," the expert cautioned.