🔗 Share this article

The United States has imposed sanctions on a operation of four people and four firms alleged of enlisting South American contractors to support and educate a armed faction in Sudan the United States claims of committing genocide.

Group Makeup

Announcing the restrictions on this week, the American treasury stated the scheme was primarily made up of Colombian nationals and companies.

Hundreds of former Colombian military personnel have allegedly journeyed to the Sudanese warzone to combat beside the Sudanese RSF militia, a faction accused of severe violations encompassing targeted ethnic killings and large-scale abductions.

Emergence of Involvement

The role of these mercenaries first came to light last year, after an inquiry which found that hundreds of ex-military personnel had been contracted to fight – an revelation that resulted in an rare mea culpa from the Colombian government.

Former Colombian military have historically been seen as some of the most in-demand contractors globally due to their considerable warzone knowledge resulting from a long-running domestic war, knowledge of Western military gear, and superior tactical education.

Role in the Conflict

In Sudan, the mercenaries have been accused of teaching underage fighters, instructed militiamen in drone operation, and fought directly on the frontlines. An individual involved previously stated that training children was "terrible and insane" but commented that "sadly, that is the nature of conflict".

Sanctioned Individuals

Among those sanctioned was a dual national, a individual with dual citizenship and retired Colombian military officer operating from the UAE. The Treasury said he had a central role in enlisting and transporting mercenaries to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was similarly targeted.

Also on the restricted list was Mateo Andrés Duque Botero, a dual Colombian-Spanish citizen who authorities say oversaw a company linked to managing finances and payments for the scheme. "Recently, US-based firms associated with Duque carried out multiple financial transactions, totalling millions of US dollars," the Treasury statement said.

Individual Mónica Muñoz was the final person to be sanctioned, with the company she managed accused of wire transfers connected to Duque and his businesses.

"The US once more urges external actors to halt the flow of monetary and weaponry aid to the combatants," the agency stated.

Expert Analysis

Elizabeth Dickinson, with the International Crisis Group, called the measures as a "major" development, saying that "identifying the recruiters is the proper strategy".

It was also noted that, Bogotá has enacted a law endorsing the global treaty against mercenarism, seeking to reduce years of participation by its nationals in international fights and reshape its security approach.

Sean McFate, a authority on private military contractors, called for greater wariness, saying that "penalties are required yet incomplete for combating rampant mercenarism".

"It operates in the black market and based out of the Emirates, which is difficult to penalize," he stated. The United Arab Emirates has been widely accused of supplying weapons to the paramilitary group, an accusation it has denied. "More contractors from Colombia are likely," McFate warned.