Washington Levies Penalties on Group Accused of Funneling South American Mercenaries to the Sudanese Conflict.
The Washington has enforced penalties on a network of several persons and entities accused of enlisting South American contractors to fight for and train a Sudanese paramilitary group which the US alleges of committing genocide.
Group Makeup
Disclosing the sanctions on Tuesday, the American treasury stated the network was largely composed of Colombian citizens and firms.
Numerous of former Colombian military personnel have allegedly journeyed to Sudan to fight alongside the RSF paramilitary group, a force linked to severe violations including massacres based on ethnicity and large-scale abductions.
Discovery of Participation
The involvement of Colombian fighters was first uncovered the previous year, prompted by an report which revealed that over three hundred ex-military personnel had been contracted to fight – an event that resulted in an unusual statement of regret from the Colombian government.
Colombian ex-soldiers have historically been seen as among the world’s most sought-after mercenaries due to their considerable warzone knowledge gleaned from years of internal conflict, knowledge of Nato equipment, and high-level combat training.
Role in the Conflict
In the Sudanese theater, the contractors have been accused of teaching underage fighters, taught fighters to pilot drones, and participated in direct battles. One source remarked that training children was "horrific and irrational" but added that "sadly, that is the nature of conflict".
Sanctioned Individuals
Among those sanctioned was a retired Colombian officer, a dual Colombian-Italian national and retired Colombian military officer located in the United Arab Emirates. The government alleged he played a pivotal function in enlisting and transporting mercenaries to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was similarly targeted.
Also on the restricted list was Mateo Andrés Duque Botero, a individual with Colombian and Spanish citizenship who the Treasury stated managed a business linked to handling funds and payroll for the scheme. "In 2024 and 2025, companies in the United States linked to Duque engaged in several money transfers, amounting to millions," the Treasury statement stated.
Colombian national Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the final person to be penalized, with the company she managed said to have conducted financial transactions connected to Duque and his businesses.
"The United States again calls on outside forces to stop giving monetary and weaponry aid to the combatants," the Treasury said in a statement.
Analyst Commentary
An expert, senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, labeled the actions as a "highly important" step, noting that "identifying the recruiters is the correct approach".
Furthermore, Bogotá ratified a piece of legislation endorsing the International Convention Against the Recruitment and Use of Mercenaries, designed to limit decades of Colombian involvement in overseas wars and reshape domestic defense strategy.
Another expert, a scholar on the subject, advised additional measures, stating that "sanctions are necessary but insufficient for addressing the growing mercenary trade".
"It operates in the black market and centered in Dubai, which is largely insulated from sanctions," he stated. The United Arab Emirates has been frequently alleged of supplying weapons to the paramilitary group, an accusation it has denied. "More contractors from Colombia are likely," the expert cautioned.
