🔗 Share this article US Imposes Penalties on Operation Alleged of Funneling Colombian Fighters to the Sudanese Conflict. The United States has enforced penalties on a group of four people and four firms accused of recruiting South American contractors to fight for and train a armed faction in Sudan that Washington accuses of committing genocide. Operation Structure Disclosing the sanctions on this week, the US Treasury Department stated the operation was primarily made up of individuals and businesses from Colombia. Hundreds of former Colombian military personnel have allegedly journeyed to the Sudanese warzone to combat beside the Sudanese RSF militia, a faction accused of terrible atrocities such as targeted ethnic killings and widespread kidnappings. Revelation of Role The involvement of Colombian fighters was first uncovered last year, after an investigation which revealed that hundreds of former soldiers had been contracted to participate in the war – an event that resulted in an unprecedented apology from the Colombian government. These South American veterans have long been considered as some of the most in-demand contractors globally due to their extensive battlefield experience resulting from a long-running domestic war, familiarity with Nato equipment, and elite military instruction. Reported Actions In the conflict, the mercenaries have been accused of teaching minors, provided drone warfare training, and fought directly on the frontlines. An individual involved remarked that working with child soldiers was "horrific and irrational" but commented that "unfortunately that’s how war is". Targeted Persons Among those sanctioned was a retired Colombian officer, a dual Colombian-Italian national and retired Colombian military officer located in the Dubai. The government accused him a central role in recruiting and deploying mercenaries to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Oliveros, was also sanctioned. Also on the penalty list was Mateo Duque Botero, a individual with Colombian and Spanish citizenship who authorities say oversaw a company accused of handling funds and payroll for the recruitment operation. "In 2024 and 2025, American entities linked to Duque conducted numerous wire transfers, totalling millions of US dollars," the government release stated. Individual Mónica Muñoz was the other individual to be targeted, with the firm she operated said to have conducted financial transactions linked to Duque and his companies. "The United States again calls on external actors to stop giving financial and military support to the warring parties," the agency stated. Expert Analysis An expert, from a conflict think tank, described the measures as a "highly important" step, stating that "calling out those who are doing the contracting is the correct approach". Furthermore, the Colombian government ratified a law ratifying the International Convention Against the Recruitment and Use of Mercenaries, designed to limit years of participation by its nationals in international fights and reshape national security policy. A mercenary specialist, a authority on private military contractors, urged more caution, noting that "sanctions are necessary but insufficient for dealing with widespread use of contractors". "This is a shadow economy and operating from Dubai, which is difficult to penalize," he said. The Emirati government has been widely accused of supplying weapons to the paramilitary group, an accusation it has denied. "Expect more Colombian mercenaries," the expert cautioned.