🔗 Share this article

The Washington has enforced penalties on a group of four individuals and four companies alleged of hiring former Colombian soldiers to fight for and train a militia force in Sudan which the US alleges of acts of genocide.

Network Composition

Disclosing the measures on this week, the American treasury stated the scheme was largely composed of Colombian nationals and companies.

Numerous of ex-soldiers from Colombia have allegedly journeyed to Sudan to fight alongside the RSF paramilitary group, a group linked to horrific war crimes such as targeted ethnic killings and mass abductions.

Discovery of Participation

The participation of ex-soldiers was first uncovered the previous year, prompted by an inquiry which found that more than 300 ex-military personnel had been contracted to fight – an event that led to an unprecedented apology from the Colombian government.

Former Colombian military have widely regarded as highly prized fighters in conflict zones due to their vast combat experience resulting from years of internal conflict, knowledge of Nato equipment, and superior tactical education.

Role in the Conflict

In Sudan, the mercenaries have been accused of teaching child soldiers, taught fighters to pilot drones, and engaged in frontline combat. A mercenary was quoted as saying that training children was "awful and crazy" but added that "sadly, that is the nature of conflict".

Sanctioned Individuals

Among those sanctioned was a dual national, a dual Colombian-Italian national and ex-soldier based in the UAE. The government said he had a key part in enlisting and transporting mercenaries to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was similarly targeted.

Also on the penalty list was Mateo Andrés Duque Botero, a dual Colombian-Spanish citizen who the Treasury stated managed a business accused of managing finances and payments for the recruitment operation. "Recently, companies in the United States connected to Duque engaged in several money transfers, totalling millions of US dollars," the government release said.

Individual Mónica Muñoz was the other individual to be sanctioned, with the firm she operated said to have conducted money transfers connected to Duque and his companies.

"Washington reiterates its demand for foreign parties to cease providing monetary and weaponry aid to the belligerents," the agency announced.

Expert Analysis

Elizabeth Dickinson, senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, described the actions as a "very significant" milestone, saying that "identifying the recruiters is the correct approach".

Furthermore, Bogotá has enacted a piece of legislation ratifying the global treaty against mercenarism, aiming to curb its citizens' long history in overseas wars and reshape domestic defense strategy.

Another expert, an expert on mercenaries, advised additional measures, saying that "restrictions are needed but not enough for addressing the growing mercenary trade".

"This is a shadow economy and operating from the Emirates, which is largely insulated from sanctions," he said. The United Arab Emirates has been widely accused of providing arms to the militia, claims it rejects. "More contractors from Colombia are likely," McFate warned.