🔗 Share this article

The US government has levied restrictions on a operation of several persons and entities alleged of hiring Colombian mercenaries to combat alongside and instruct a Sudanese paramilitary group which the US alleges of committing genocide.

Operation Structure

Disclosing the sanctions on this week, the American treasury stated the operation was mostly comprised of individuals and businesses from Colombia.

Scores of former Colombian military personnel have reportedly travelled to Sudan to combat beside the Sudanese RSF militia, a faction implicated in severe violations including massacres based on ethnicity and large-scale abductions.

Discovery of Participation

The role of these mercenaries first came to light in 2024, following an inquiry which found that hundreds of retired troops had been hired to participate in the war – an discovery that prompted an unusual statement of regret from officials in Bogotá.

These South American veterans have historically been seen as some of the most in-demand contractors globally due to their extensive battlefield experience acquired during a long-running domestic war, knowledge of Western military gear, and high-level combat training.

Reported Actions

In the Sudanese theater, the contractors have been accused of teaching child soldiers, taught fighters to pilot drones, and participated in direct battles. One source previously stated that working with child soldiers was "terrible and insane" but commented that "regrettably, war operates that way".

Targeted Persons

Among those targeted was a retired Colombian officer, a dual Colombian-Italian national and ex-soldier operating from the Dubai. The Treasury accused him a pivotal function in recruiting and deploying mercenaries to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Oliveros, was also sanctioned.

Also on the restricted list was Duque Botero, a dual national who authorities say oversaw a company linked to managing finances and payments for the scheme. "Recently, companies in the United States linked to Duque engaged in multiple financial transactions, amounting to millions," the Treasury statement said.

Citizen of Colombia Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the final person to be targeted, with the firm she operated said to have conducted money transfers linked to Duque and his companies.

"The US once more urges foreign parties to halt the flow of monetary and weaponry aid to the belligerents," the agency stated.

Analyst Commentary

A senior analyst, senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, described the measures as a "highly important" step, saying that "targeting the enablers is the proper strategy".

It was also noted that, Colombia ratified a piece of legislation endorsing the International Convention Against the Recruitment and Use of Mercenaries, designed to limit its citizens' long history in overseas wars and transform its security approach.

A mercenary specialist, a scholar on the subject, called for greater wariness, saying that "penalties are required yet incomplete for combating widespread use of contractors".

"It’s an illicit economy and operating from the Emirates, which is difficult to penalize," he said. The United Arab Emirates has been repeatedly implicated of arming the RSF, allegations it disputes. "More contractors from Colombia are likely," McFate warned.