🔗 Share this article US Imposes Sanctions on Group Accused of Channeling Colombian Fighters to Sudan. The Washington has imposed sanctions on a operation of four individuals and four companies accused of enlisting former Colombian soldiers to combat alongside and instruct a militia force in Sudan which the US alleges of acts of genocide. Operation Structure Revealing the measures on Tuesday, the US Treasury Department stated the operation was primarily made up of individuals and businesses from Colombia. Hundreds of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been recruited to go to the Sudanese warzone to operate with the RSF paramilitary group, a group implicated in severe violations including targeted ethnic killings and large-scale abductions. Emergence of Involvement The role of these mercenaries was first uncovered in 2024, prompted by an investigation which revealed that more than 300 ex-military personnel had been hired to participate in the war – an discovery that led to an unprecedented apology from Colombia’s foreign ministry. These South American veterans have long been considered as highly prized fighters in conflict zones due to their considerable warzone knowledge acquired during a long-running domestic war, knowledge of advanced weaponry, and high-level combat training. Role in the Conflict In the conflict, the mercenaries have been accused of teaching child soldiers, provided drone warfare training, and participated in direct battles. One source remarked that training children was "awful and crazy" but commented that "unfortunately that’s how war is". Named Entities Among those targeted was a retired Colombian officer, a individual with dual citizenship and retired Colombian military officer located in the UAE. The government alleged he played a key part in recruiting and deploying mercenaries to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Oliveros, was penalized as well. Also on the restricted list was Mateo Andrés Duque Botero, a individual with Colombian and Spanish citizenship who officials alleged oversaw a company linked to handling funds and payroll for the scheme. "Over the past two years, American entities connected to Duque conducted numerous wire transfers, amounting to millions," the government release noted. Citizen of Colombia Mónica Muñoz was the final person to be sanctioned, with the company she managed said to have conducted money transfers associated with Duque and his companies. "Washington reiterates its demand for external actors to halt the flow of monetary and weaponry aid to the combatants," the agency stated. Analyst Commentary An expert, senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, called the actions as a "major" development, noting that "identifying the recruiters is the correct approach". She added that, Bogotá ratified a law endorsing the global treaty against mercenarism, seeking to reduce years of participation by its nationals in overseas wars and transform national security policy. Another expert, an expert on mercenaries, called for greater wariness, saying that "penalties are required yet incomplete for addressing widespread use of contractors". "It’s an illicit economy and operating from Dubai, which is relatively sanction-proof," he commented. The United Arab Emirates has been widely accused of providing arms to the militia, allegations it disputes. "Expect more Colombian mercenaries," the expert cautioned.