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The United States has levied restrictions on a network of four people and four firms alleged of recruiting former Colombian soldiers to combat alongside and instruct a Sudanese paramilitary group that Washington accuses of genocidal acts.

Group Makeup

Disclosing the restrictions on this week, the Treasury stated the operation was mostly comprised of Colombian citizens and firms.

Numerous of ex-soldiers from Colombia have allegedly journeyed to Sudan to operate with the Sudanese RSF militia, a group accused of horrific war crimes encompassing massacres based on ethnicity and large-scale abductions.

Revelation of Role

The participation of ex-soldiers first came to light in 2024, after an investigation which found that hundreds of retired troops had been recruited to engage in combat – an revelation that resulted in an unprecedented apology from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

These South American veterans have widely regarded as among the world’s most sought-after mercenaries due to their extensive battlefield experience resulting from a long-running domestic war, familiarity with Nato equipment, and high-level combat training.

Activities in Sudan

In the Sudanese theater, the Colombians have been accused of teaching minors, instructed militiamen in drone operation, and engaged in frontline combat. A mercenary was quoted as saying that training children was "awful and crazy" but commented that "unfortunately that’s how war is".

Named Entities

Among those sanctioned was a retired Colombian officer, a dual Colombian-Italian national and former army officer based in the UAE. The US authorities said he had a central role in hiring and sending former Colombian soldiers to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Oliveros, was similarly targeted.

Also on the penalty list was Mateo Andrés Duque Botero, a individual with Colombian and Spanish citizenship who authorities say ran a firm linked to handling funds and payroll for the scheme. "In 2024 and 2025, US-based firms associated with Duque engaged in numerous wire transfers, worth millions," the official announcement said.

Colombian national Mónica Muñoz was the final person to be penalized, with the entity she oversaw said to have conducted wire transfers associated with Duque and his companies.

"Washington reiterates its demand for outside forces to stop giving financial and military support to the warring parties," the Treasury said in a statement.

Analyst Commentary

Elizabeth Dickinson, with the International Crisis Group, labeled the sanctions as a "major" step, stating that "targeting the enablers is the correct approach".

She added that, Colombia has enacted a law ratifying the anti-mercenary convention, designed to limit decades of Colombian involvement in foreign conflicts and reshape its security approach.

A mercenary specialist, a scholar on the subject, advised additional measures, stating that "restrictions are needed but not enough for combating widespread use of contractors".

"It operates in the black market and operating from Dubai, which is largely insulated from sanctions," he commented. The Emirati government has been frequently alleged of providing arms to the militia, allegations it disputes. "More contractors from Colombia are likely," he advised.