🔗 Share this article

The United States has imposed sanctions on a group of several persons and entities alleged of hiring South American contractors to fight for and train a Sudanese paramilitary group that Washington accuses of acts of genocide.

Network Composition

Revealing the measures on this week, the US Treasury Department stated the network was largely composed of individuals and businesses from Colombia.

Hundreds of former Colombian military personnel have reportedly travelled to the Sudanese warzone to combat beside the RSF paramilitary group, a group accused of terrible atrocities encompassing massacres based on ethnicity and mass abductions.

Discovery of Participation

The involvement of Colombian fighters initially emerged the previous year, prompted by an inquiry which revealed that hundreds of retired troops had been hired to participate in the war – an event that led to an rare mea culpa from the Colombian government.

Colombian ex-soldiers have long been considered as among the world’s most sought-after mercenaries due to their vast combat experience acquired during years of internal conflict, training on Western military gear, and superior tactical education.

Activities in Sudan

In the conflict, the Colombians have allegedly instructed minors, instructed militiamen in drone operation, and engaged in frontline combat. One source previously stated that working with child soldiers was "terrible and insane" but noted that "regrettably, war operates that way".

Named Entities

Among those penalized was a dual national, a individual with dual citizenship and retired Colombian military officer operating from the Dubai. The Treasury said he had a pivotal function in recruiting and deploying former Colombian soldiers to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Oliveros, was penalized as well.

Also on the sanctions list was Mateo Duque Botero, a individual with Colombian and Spanish citizenship who officials alleged oversaw a company accused of managing finances and payments for the recruitment operation. "Over the past two years, American entities associated with Duque carried out several money transfers, amounting to millions," the official announcement said.

Colombian national Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the final person to be sanctioned, with the company she managed alleged to have money transfers linked to Duque and his businesses.

"The United States again calls on external actors to halt the flow of monetary and weaponry aid to the warring parties," the agency announced.

Analyst Commentary

An expert, from a conflict think tank, described the actions as a "major" milestone, noting that "identifying the recruiters is the correct approach".

It was also noted that, the Colombian government ratified a law endorsing the International Convention Against the Recruitment and Use of Mercenaries, seeking to reduce its citizens' long history in foreign conflicts and transform its security approach.

Sean McFate, an expert on mercenaries, called for greater wariness, noting that "penalties are required yet incomplete for combating rampant mercenarism".

"This is a shadow economy and operating from the Emirates, which is difficult to penalize," he stated. The Emirati government has been frequently alleged of providing arms to the militia, claims it rejects. "This trend will probably continue," McFate warned.