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The US government has levied restrictions on a group of four people and four firms accused of enlisting Colombian mercenaries to fight for and train a militia force in Sudan which the US alleges of acts of genocide.

Operation Structure

Revealing the measures on this week, the Treasury stated the operation was largely composed of Colombian citizens and firms.

Scores of former Colombian military personnel have reportedly travelled to the conflict in Sudan to operate with the Sudanese RSF militia, a group accused of severe violations encompassing targeted ethnic killings and large-scale abductions.

Discovery of Participation

The role of these mercenaries was first uncovered in 2024, following an report which revealed that over three hundred retired troops had been contracted to engage in combat – an event that led to an rare mea culpa from the Colombian government.

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 high-level combat training.

Role in the Conflict

In Sudan, the contractors have allegedly instructed child soldiers, instructed militiamen in drone operation, and engaged in frontline combat. An individual involved remarked that training children was "horrific and irrational" but noted that "unfortunately that’s how war is".

Targeted Persons

Among those sanctioned was a dual national, a dual Colombian-Italian national and retired Colombian military officer based in the United Arab Emirates. The government accused him a pivotal function in hiring and sending former Colombian soldiers to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Oliveros, was also sanctioned.

Also on the penalty list was Mateo Duque Botero, a dual national who authorities say managed a business linked to handling funds and payroll for the network. "In 2024 and 2025, US-based firms associated with Duque conducted multiple financial transactions, amounting to millions," the official announcement said.

Individual Mónica Muñoz was the other individual to be sanctioned, with the entity she oversaw said to have conducted money transfers associated with Duque and his operations.

"The United States again calls on outside forces to halt the flow of monetary and weaponry aid to the belligerents," the agency announced.

Analyst Commentary

An expert, from a conflict think tank, called the sanctions as a "major" step, saying that "identifying the recruiters is the right way to go".

It was also noted that, Bogotá recently passed a law approving the anti-mercenary convention, aiming to curb its citizens' long history in foreign conflicts and transform national security policy.

Sean McFate, an expert on mercenaries, advised additional measures, saying that "sanctions are necessary but insufficient for combating rampant mercenarism".

"It’s an illicit economy and based out of the Emirates, which is difficult to penalize," he said. The UAE has been repeatedly implicated of providing arms to the militia, allegations it disputes. "This trend will probably continue," McFate warned.