US Imposes Restrictions on Network Accused of Funneling Colombian Fighters to Sudan.

The United States has imposed sanctions on a network of four individuals and four companies alleged of hiring South American contractors to fight for and train a armed faction in Sudan that Washington accuses of committing genocide.

Network Composition

Announcing the restrictions on Tuesday, the Treasury stated the network was mostly comprised of Colombian citizens and firms.

Numerous of retired Colombian troops have been recruited to go to the Sudanese warzone to fight alongside the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a faction implicated in terrible atrocities such as targeted ethnic killings and mass abductions.

Discovery of Participation

The participation of ex-soldiers was first uncovered in 2024, after an report which found that more than 300 retired troops had been contracted to fight – an revelation that led to an unprecedented apology from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

Former Colombian military have long been considered as some of the most in-demand contractors globally due to their extensive battlefield experience gleaned from years of internal conflict, training on advanced weaponry, and elite military instruction.

Role in the Conflict

In the conflict, the mercenaries have reportedly trained underage fighters, instructed militiamen in drone operation, and fought directly on the frontlines. One source previously stated that working with child soldiers was "awful and crazy" but noted that "regrettably, war operates that way".

Targeted Persons

Among those sanctioned was a retired Colombian officer, a citizen of both Colombia and Italy and retired Colombian military officer operating from the United Arab Emirates. The US authorities said he had a central role in hiring and sending ex-military personnel to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Oliveros, was also sanctioned.

Also on the penalty list was Mateo Andrés Duque Botero, a dual Colombian-Spanish citizen who the Treasury stated ran a firm accused of handling funds and payroll for the network. "Recently, American entities connected to Duque engaged in several money transfers, amounting to millions," the official announcement noted.

Citizen of Colombia Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the final person to be sanctioned, with the company she managed accused of financial transactions connected to Duque and his operations.

"The United States again calls on outside forces to stop giving monetary and weaponry aid to the warring parties," the agency announced.

Reaction

Elizabeth Dickinson, senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, labeled the actions as a "very significant" development, stating that "calling out those who are doing the contracting is the correct approach".

It was also noted that, the Colombian government recently passed a statute approving the anti-mercenary convention, seeking to reduce decades of Colombian involvement in overseas wars and change domestic defense strategy.

A mercenary specialist, a scholar on the subject, called for greater wariness, noting that "penalties are required yet incomplete for dealing with the growing mercenary trade".

"It’s an illicit economy and centered in Dubai, which is difficult to penalize," he stated. The UAE has been frequently alleged of supplying weapons to the paramilitary group, an accusation it has denied. "Expect more Colombian mercenaries," he advised.