🔗 Share this article

The US government has enforced penalties 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 which the US alleges of committing genocide.

Operation Structure

Revealing the restrictions on this week, the Treasury stated the operation was largely composed of individuals and businesses from Colombia.

Scores of retired Colombian troops have reportedly travelled to the Sudanese warzone to combat beside the RSF paramilitary group, a group accused of terrible atrocities such as ethnically targeted slaughter and large-scale abductions.

Emergence of Involvement

The involvement of Colombian fighters first came to light the previous year, prompted by an report which disclosed that over three hundred ex-military personnel had been hired to engage in combat – an event that resulted in an unusual statement of regret 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 decades of civil war, training on Western military gear, and elite military instruction.

Role in the Conflict

In the Sudanese theater, the mercenaries have reportedly trained underage fighters, provided drone warfare training, and participated in direct battles. A mercenary previously stated that working with child soldiers was "terrible and insane" but added that "unfortunately that’s how war is".

Sanctioned Individuals

Among those sanctioned was a dual national, a citizen of both Colombia and Italy and former army officer located in the United Arab Emirates. The US authorities said he had a central role in enlisting and transporting ex-military personnel to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Oliveros, was also sanctioned.

Also on the sanctions list was Mateo Duque Botero, a individual with Colombian and Spanish citizenship who officials alleged managed a business accused of processing money and salaries for the scheme. "Over the past two years, companies in the United States connected to Duque conducted several money transfers, worth millions," the Treasury statement said.

Individual Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the other individual to be targeted, with the company she managed said to have conducted money transfers associated with Duque and his operations.

"The United States again calls on external actors to cease providing financial and military support to the belligerents," the agency said in a statement.

Reaction

A senior analyst, with the International Crisis Group, called the measures as a "highly important" development, saying that "identifying the recruiters is the proper strategy".

It was also noted that, the Colombian government recently passed a law approving the International Convention Against the Recruitment and Use of Mercenaries, aiming to curb years of participation by its nationals in international fights and reshape domestic defense strategy.

Sean McFate, an expert on mercenaries, urged more caution, stating that "sanctions are necessary but insufficient for addressing rampant mercenarism".

"It operates in the black market and operating from Dubai, which is difficult to penalize," he said. The Emirati government has been repeatedly implicated of supplying weapons to the paramilitary group, an accusation it has denied. "Expect more Colombian mercenaries," McFate warned.