🔗 Share this article US Imposes Restrictions on Network Alleged of Channeling Colombian Fighters to the Sudanese Conflict. The United States has enforced penalties on a operation of four individuals and four companies accused of enlisting former Colombian soldiers to combat alongside and instruct a Sudanese paramilitary group the United States claims of acts of genocide. Operation Structure Revealing the measures on this week, the American treasury stated the scheme was primarily made up of Colombian nationals and companies. Scores of retired Colombian troops have allegedly journeyed to the Sudanese warzone to fight alongside the RSF paramilitary group, a faction linked to horrific war crimes including ethnically targeted slaughter and large-scale abductions. Discovery of Participation The involvement of Colombian fighters first came to light the previous year, prompted by an inquiry which found that more than 300 ex-military personnel had been contracted to engage in combat – an event that resulted in an unprecedented apology from the Colombian government. Colombian ex-soldiers have widely regarded as among the world’s most sought-after mercenaries due to their extensive battlefield experience gleaned from decades of civil war, training on advanced weaponry, and elite military instruction. Activities in Sudan In the conflict, the Colombians have allegedly instructed underage fighters, provided drone warfare training, and fought directly on the frontlines. A mercenary previously stated that working with child soldiers was "horrific and irrational" but commented that "sadly, that is the nature of conflict". Named Entities Among those sanctioned was a retired Colombian officer, a individual with dual citizenship and former army officer operating from the UAE. The government said he had a key part in enlisting and transporting former Colombian soldiers to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Oliveros, was similarly targeted. Also on the sanctions list was Mateo Andrés Duque Botero, a individual with Colombian and Spanish citizenship who authorities say oversaw a company linked to handling funds and payroll for the recruitment operation. "In 2024 and 2025, companies in the United States linked to Duque carried out multiple financial transactions, totalling millions of US dollars," the official announcement stated. Individual Mónica Muñoz was the final person to be penalized, with the company she managed said to have conducted wire transfers linked to Duque and his businesses. "The United States again calls on outside forces to stop giving financial and military support to the combatants," the Treasury said in a statement. Analyst Commentary Elizabeth Dickinson, with the International Crisis Group, called the measures as a "very significant" step, noting that "calling out those who are doing the contracting is the right way to go". It was also noted that, the Colombian government has enacted a piece of legislation endorsing the anti-mercenary convention, designed to limit decades of Colombian involvement in foreign conflicts and change its security approach. Sean McFate, a authority on private military contractors, advised additional measures, saying that "penalties are required yet incomplete for addressing widespread use of contractors". "It’s an illicit economy and centered in the UAE, which is difficult to penalize," he said. The United Arab Emirates has been widely accused of providing arms to the militia, claims it rejects. "Expect more Colombian mercenaries," the expert cautioned.