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The United States has levied restrictions on a operation of four individuals and four companies accused of enlisting former Colombian soldiers to fight for and train a Sudanese paramilitary group that Washington accuses of committing genocide.

Network Composition

Disclosing the measures on this week, the US Treasury Department stated the scheme was primarily made up of Colombian nationals and companies.

Hundreds of former Colombian military personnel have been recruited to go to the Sudanese warzone to operate with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a force implicated in severe violations including targeted ethnic killings and large-scale abductions.

Discovery of Participation

The role of these mercenaries was first uncovered in 2024, following an inquiry which disclosed that hundreds of former soldiers had been contracted to fight – an revelation that resulted in an unusual statement of regret from officials in Bogotá.

Colombian ex-soldiers have widely regarded as highly prized fighters in conflict zones due to their extensive battlefield experience acquired during decades of civil war, familiarity with Western military gear, and superior tactical education.

Reported Actions

In the Sudanese theater, the contractors have reportedly trained child soldiers, instructed militiamen in drone operation, and participated in direct battles. One source was quoted as saying that training children was "awful and crazy" but added that "unfortunately that’s how war is".

Targeted Persons

Among those penalized was a dual national, a citizen of both Colombia and Italy and ex-soldier based in the United Arab Emirates. The US authorities accused him a central role in recruiting and deploying mercenaries to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Oliveros, was penalized as well.

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 processing money and salaries for the scheme. "In 2024 and 2025, US-based firms linked to Duque carried out numerous wire transfers, totalling millions of US dollars," the government release stated.

Individual Mónica Muñoz was the fourth individual to be sanctioned, with the firm she operated said to have conducted wire transfers connected to Duque and his companies.

"The United States again calls on external actors to stop giving financial and military support to the belligerents," the department said in a statement.

Expert Analysis

An expert, from a conflict think tank, called the sanctions as a "highly important" milestone, noting that "identifying the recruiters is the proper strategy".

Furthermore, the Colombian government ratified a piece of legislation endorsing the global treaty against mercenarism, designed to limit decades of Colombian involvement in overseas wars and transform domestic defense strategy.

A mercenary specialist, an expert on mercenaries, urged more caution, noting that "restrictions are needed but not enough for addressing rampant mercenarism".

"It operates in the black market and based out of Dubai, which is difficult to penalize," he said. The UAE has been widely accused of providing arms to the militia, allegations it disputes. "Expect more Colombian mercenaries," he advised.