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The United States has imposed sanctions on a group of four people and four firms accused of recruiting former Colombian soldiers to support and educate a militia force in Sudan the United States claims of genocidal acts.

Operation Structure

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 reportedly travelled to the Sudanese warzone to fight alongside the Sudanese RSF militia, a faction implicated in terrible atrocities encompassing massacres based on ethnicity and mass abductions.

Revelation of Role

The role of these mercenaries was first uncovered last year, following an inquiry which revealed that over three hundred former soldiers had been hired to participate in the war – 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 acquired during a long-running domestic war, training on Nato equipment, and superior tactical education.

Role in the Conflict

In the conflict, the mercenaries have been accused of teaching minors, provided drone warfare training, and fought directly on the frontlines. One source remarked that training children was "horrific and irrational" but commented that "sadly, that is the nature of conflict".

Named Entities

Among those penalized was a retired Colombian officer, a citizen of both Colombia and Italy and retired Colombian military officer located in the UAE. The US authorities accused him a pivotal function in recruiting and deploying mercenaries to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Oliveros, was similarly targeted.

Also on the penalty list was Duque Botero, a dual Colombian-Spanish citizen who authorities say oversaw a company accused of handling funds and payroll for the scheme. "In 2024 and 2025, companies in the United States linked to Duque conducted numerous wire transfers, amounting to millions," the official announcement noted.

Individual Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the final person to be penalized, with the firm she operated alleged to have wire transfers associated with Duque and his businesses.

"The United States again calls on outside forces to stop giving financial and military support to the belligerents," the department stated.

Analyst Commentary

A senior analyst, senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, labeled the actions as a "major" development, noting that "calling out those who are doing the contracting is the proper strategy".

She added that, the Colombian government ratified a statute endorsing the global treaty against mercenarism, designed to limit its citizens' long history in international fights and change its security approach.

A mercenary specialist, a scholar on the subject, urged more caution, noting that "restrictions are needed but not enough for combating the growing mercenary trade".

"It operates in the black market and centered in the Emirates, which is difficult to penalize," he stated. The Emirati government has been widely accused of supplying weapons to the paramilitary group, an accusation it has denied. "Expect more Colombian mercenaries," he advised.