US Imposes Sanctions on Operation Alleged of Channeling Colombian Contractors to the Sudanese Conflict.

The United States has imposed sanctions on a group of several persons and entities charged of hiring former Colombian soldiers to fight for and train a Sudanese paramilitary group that Washington accuses of committing genocide.

Operation Structure

Disclosing the sanctions on Tuesday, the US Treasury Department stated the scheme was largely composed of Colombian citizens and firms.

Numerous of retired Colombian troops have allegedly journeyed to the conflict in Sudan to fight alongside the Sudanese RSF militia, a faction implicated in severe violations encompassing massacres based on ethnicity and mass abductions.

Emergence of Involvement

The involvement of Colombian fighters first came to light last year, prompted by an inquiry which revealed that more than 300 retired troops had been hired to fight – an event that resulted in an unusual statement of regret from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

Colombian ex-soldiers have widely regarded as among the world’s most sought-after mercenaries due to their vast combat experience resulting from a long-running domestic war, training on Western military gear, and elite military instruction.

Activities in Sudan

In Sudan, the mercenaries have allegedly instructed minors, instructed militiamen in drone operation, and fought directly on the frontlines. One source previously stated that working with child soldiers was "horrific and irrational" but commented that "unfortunately that’s how war is".

Named Entities

Among those penalized was a retired Colombian officer, a dual Colombian-Italian national and former army officer located in the UAE. The US authorities said he had a central role in hiring and sending former Colombian soldiers to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was also sanctioned.

Also on the sanctions list was Mateo Duque Botero, a individual with Colombian and Spanish citizenship who officials alleged managed a business linked to handling funds and payroll for the scheme. "In 2024 and 2025, companies in the United States associated with Duque conducted multiple financial transactions, totalling millions of US dollars," the government release said.

Individual Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the fourth individual to be sanctioned, with the entity she oversaw said to have conducted wire transfers associated with Duque and his businesses.

"The US once more urges foreign parties to halt the flow of financial and military support to the belligerents," the Treasury announced.

Reaction

Elizabeth Dickinson, senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, described the sanctions as a "very significant" milestone, saying that "identifying the recruiters is the proper strategy".

Furthermore, Bogotá has enacted a law endorsing the global treaty against mercenarism, aiming to curb its citizens' long history in overseas wars and transform its security approach.

Another expert, a scholar on the subject, advised additional measures, stating that "sanctions are necessary but insufficient for dealing with the growing mercenary trade".

"It’s an illicit economy and centered in the Emirates, which is relatively sanction-proof," he commented. The UAE has been frequently alleged of supplying weapons to the paramilitary group, allegations it disputes. "More contractors from Colombia are likely," McFate warned.