🔗 Share this article

The United States has enforced penalties on a network of several persons and entities accused of hiring Colombian mercenaries to combat alongside and instruct a militia force in Sudan that Washington accuses of genocidal acts.

Network Composition

Announcing the sanctions on this week, the US Treasury Department stated the network was mostly comprised of individuals and businesses from Colombia.

Scores of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been recruited to go to Sudan to combat beside the Sudanese RSF militia, a group accused of horrific war crimes including ethnically targeted slaughter and widespread kidnappings.

Emergence of Involvement

The participation of ex-soldiers initially emerged the previous year, after an report which disclosed that hundreds of retired troops had been hired to engage in combat – an event that led to an unprecedented apology from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

These South American veterans have long been considered as among the world’s most sought-after mercenaries due to their considerable warzone knowledge gleaned from years of internal conflict, knowledge of Western military gear, and elite military instruction.

Reported Actions

In the Sudanese theater, the Colombians have allegedly instructed minors, instructed militiamen in drone operation, and engaged in frontline combat. One source previously stated that instructing minors was "awful and crazy" but commented that "unfortunately that’s how war is".

Sanctioned Individuals

Among those targeted was a dual national, a dual Colombian-Italian national and ex-soldier operating from the Dubai. The US authorities accused him a pivotal function in hiring and sending ex-military personnel to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Oliveros, was similarly targeted.

Also on the penalty list was Duque Botero, a dual national who the Treasury stated managed a business accused of managing finances and payments for the scheme. "Recently, US-based firms connected to Duque engaged in multiple financial transactions, worth millions," the government release said.

Individual Mónica Muñoz was the fourth individual to be targeted, with the entity she oversaw accused of wire transfers linked to Duque and his businesses.

"Washington reiterates its demand for outside forces to cease providing funding and arms to the combatants," the department said in a statement.

Reaction

Elizabeth Dickinson, with the International Crisis Group, labeled the measures as a "very significant" step, stating that "calling out those who are doing the contracting is the right way to go".

Furthermore, Bogotá ratified a statute approving the global treaty against mercenarism, designed to limit decades of Colombian involvement in overseas wars and transform domestic defense strategy.

Sean McFate, a authority on private military contractors, urged more caution, noting that "penalties are required yet incomplete for dealing with widespread use of contractors".

"It operates in the black market and based out of Dubai, which is difficult to penalize," he commented. The Emirati government has been frequently alleged of supplying weapons to the paramilitary group, claims it rejects. "This trend will probably continue," the expert cautioned.