The Washington has enforced penalties on a network of four people and four firms accused of recruiting Colombian mercenaries to fight for and train a armed faction in Sudan that Washington accuses of genocidal acts.
Revealing the sanctions on Tuesday, the American treasury stated the scheme was primarily made up of Colombian citizens and firms.
Scores of retired Colombian troops have allegedly journeyed to the conflict in Sudan to operate with the RSF paramilitary group, a faction linked to severe violations including targeted ethnic killings and widespread kidnappings.
The participation of ex-soldiers first came to light last year, prompted by an report which disclosed that hundreds of ex-military personnel had been recruited to engage in combat – an discovery that resulted in an rare mea culpa from Colombia’s foreign ministry.
Colombian ex-soldiers have widely regarded as some of the most in-demand contractors globally due to their considerable warzone knowledge acquired during years of internal conflict, training on Nato equipment, and superior tactical education.
In the conflict, the contractors have been accused of teaching minors, provided drone warfare training, and participated in direct battles. A mercenary previously stated that training children was "awful and crazy" but added that "sadly, that is the nature of conflict".
Among those sanctioned was a retired Colombian officer, a citizen of both Colombia and Italy and retired Colombian military officer located in the United Arab Emirates. The government alleged he played a key part in recruiting and deploying ex-military personnel to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was similarly targeted.
Also on the restricted list was Duque Botero, a dual national who the Treasury stated oversaw a company implicated in processing money and salaries for the network. "Over the past two years, US-based firms associated with Duque conducted several money transfers, totalling millions of US dollars," the government release stated.
Colombian national Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the final person to be sanctioned, with the firm she operated alleged to have money transfers linked to Duque and his operations.
"Washington reiterates its demand for foreign parties to cease providing financial and military support to the combatants," the agency stated.
A senior analyst, with the International Crisis Group, described the sanctions as a "very significant" milestone, stating that "identifying the recruiters is the correct approach".
Furthermore, Colombia recently passed a law endorsing the International Convention Against the Recruitment and Use of Mercenaries, designed to limit years of participation by its nationals in overseas wars and reshape national security policy.
A mercenary specialist, an expert on mercenaries, called for greater wariness, stating that "sanctions are necessary but insufficient for addressing widespread use of contractors".
"This is a shadow economy and centered in the Emirates, which is largely insulated from sanctions," he commented. The Emirati government has been widely accused of arming the RSF, allegations it disputes. "This trend will probably continue," he advised.
Elara Voss is a cultural anthropologist and freelance writer, passionate about uncovering human stories that bridge divides.
