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The Washington has imposed sanctions on a operation of several persons and entities accused of recruiting former Colombian soldiers to combat alongside and instruct a armed faction in Sudan the United States claims of acts of genocide.

Operation Structure

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

Numerous of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been recruited to go to the conflict in Sudan to operate with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a faction implicated in terrible atrocities including targeted ethnic killings and large-scale abductions.

Discovery of Participation

The participation of ex-soldiers was first uncovered in 2024, prompted by an inquiry which disclosed that hundreds of ex-military personnel had been hired to participate in the war – an event that prompted an unusual statement of regret from officials in Bogotá.

Colombian ex-soldiers have long been considered as highly prized fighters in conflict zones due to their extensive battlefield 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 Colombians have reportedly trained minors, taught fighters to pilot drones, and fought directly on the frontlines. An individual involved was quoted as saying that working with child soldiers was "horrific and irrational" but commented that "regrettably, war operates that way".

Named Entities

Among those penalized was a dual national, a individual with dual citizenship and former army officer located in the United Arab Emirates. The Treasury alleged he played a pivotal function in enlisting and transporting mercenaries to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Oliveros, was also sanctioned.

Also on the penalty list was Mateo Duque Botero, a dual Colombian-Spanish citizen who authorities say ran a firm linked to managing finances and payments for the recruitment operation. "In 2024 and 2025, US-based firms associated with Duque engaged in several money transfers, worth millions," the Treasury statement said.

Colombian national Mónica Muñoz was the other individual to be targeted, with the entity she oversaw said to have conducted money transfers linked to Duque and his businesses.

"Washington reiterates its demand for foreign parties to halt the flow of funding and arms to the combatants," the department said in a statement.

Expert Analysis

A senior analyst, senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, labeled the measures as a "very significant" development, saying that "identifying the recruiters is the proper strategy".

Furthermore, Bogotá recently passed a piece of legislation endorsing the global treaty against mercenarism, designed to limit decades of Colombian involvement in international fights and transform domestic defense strategy.

Sean McFate, an expert on mercenaries, called for greater wariness, saying that "sanctions are necessary but insufficient for dealing with widespread use of contractors".

"It’s an illicit economy and centered in the Emirates, which is largely insulated from sanctions," he commented. The Emirati government has been frequently alleged of providing arms to the militia, claims it rejects. "More contractors from Colombia are likely," the expert cautioned.