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The US government has levied restrictions on a network of several persons and entities alleged of enlisting Colombian mercenaries to fight for and train a Sudanese paramilitary group that Washington accuses of committing genocide.

Group Makeup

Announcing the restrictions on this week, the American treasury stated the network was mostly comprised of Colombian citizens and firms.

Hundreds of ex-soldiers from Colombia have reportedly travelled to the conflict in Sudan to fight alongside the Sudanese RSF militia, a faction accused of terrible atrocities including targeted ethnic killings and mass abductions.

Emergence of Involvement

The participation of ex-soldiers initially emerged the previous year, prompted by an report which found that hundreds of retired troops had been recruited to participate in the war – an revelation that prompted an rare mea culpa from the Colombian government.

Colombian ex-soldiers have historically been seen as some of the most in-demand contractors globally due to their extensive battlefield experience gleaned from decades of civil war, training on Nato equipment, and elite military instruction.

Activities in Sudan

In the Sudanese theater, the Colombians have been accused of teaching underage fighters, provided drone warfare training, and fought directly on the frontlines. A mercenary was quoted as saying that instructing minors was "terrible and insane" but commented that "unfortunately that’s how war is".

Targeted Persons

Among those penalized was a dual national, a citizen of both Colombia and Italy and former army officer operating from the United Arab Emirates. The Treasury said he had a central role in enlisting and transporting former Colombian soldiers to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was penalized as well.

Also on the restricted list was Mateo Duque Botero, a dual national who the Treasury stated managed a business implicated in handling funds and payroll for the scheme. "Over the past two years, companies in the United States connected to Duque engaged in several money transfers, totalling millions of US dollars," the government release stated.

Individual Mónica Muñoz was the fourth individual to be penalized, with the firm she operated accused of wire transfers linked to Duque and his companies.

"The US once more urges foreign parties to halt the flow of financial and military support to the warring parties," the department stated.

Analyst Commentary

A senior analyst, senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, labeled the measures as a "very significant" milestone, noting that "calling out those who are doing the contracting is the proper strategy".

It was also noted that, Colombia recently passed a piece of legislation approving the anti-mercenary convention, aiming to curb years of participation by its nationals in international fights and reshape national security policy.

Sean McFate, an expert on mercenaries, urged more caution, stating that "sanctions are necessary but insufficient for addressing widespread use of contractors".

"This is a shadow economy and based out of the UAE, which is difficult to penalize," he said. The Emirati government has been widely accused of providing arms to the militia, an accusation it has denied. "More contractors from Colombia are likely," the expert cautioned.