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The US government has imposed sanctions on a network of four people and four firms charged of enlisting Colombian mercenaries to fight for and train a militia force in Sudan the United States claims of acts of genocide.

Network Composition

Announcing the restrictions on this week, the Treasury stated the scheme was mostly comprised of Colombian nationals and companies.

Hundreds of retired Colombian troops have reportedly travelled to the conflict in Sudan to operate with the RSF paramilitary group, a group accused of terrible atrocities encompassing ethnically targeted slaughter and mass abductions.

Revelation of Role

The involvement of Colombian fighters first came to light the previous year, after an inquiry which found that hundreds of ex-military personnel had been contracted to engage in combat – an discovery that resulted in an unprecedented apology from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

Colombian ex-soldiers have long been considered as some of the most in-demand contractors globally due to their considerable warzone knowledge gleaned from years of internal conflict, training on advanced weaponry, and high-level combat training.

Role in the Conflict

In Sudan, the contractors have been accused of teaching minors, provided drone warfare training, and fought directly on the frontlines. One source previously stated that working with child soldiers was "terrible and insane" but added that "regrettably, war operates that way".

Named Entities

Among those targeted was a dual national, a individual with dual citizenship and ex-soldier operating from the UAE. The Treasury said he had a pivotal function in enlisting and transporting ex-military personnel to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Oliveros, was similarly targeted.

Also on the sanctions list was Duque Botero, a dual national who officials alleged ran a firm implicated in handling funds and payroll for the scheme. "In 2024 and 2025, companies in the United States connected to Duque conducted several money transfers, totalling millions of US dollars," the official announcement noted.

Individual Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the fourth individual to be penalized, with the firm she operated alleged to have financial transactions associated with Duque and his operations.

"Washington reiterates its demand for external actors to halt the flow of funding and arms to the belligerents," the agency stated.

Reaction

A senior analyst, from a conflict think tank, labeled the measures as a "major" development, noting that "calling out those who are doing the contracting is the right way to go".

She added that, Colombia recently passed a statute ratifying the International Convention Against the Recruitment and Use of Mercenaries, seeking to reduce years of participation by its nationals in foreign conflicts and reshape its security approach.

Sean McFate, an expert on mercenaries, called for greater wariness, noting that "penalties are required yet incomplete for addressing the growing mercenary trade".

"It’s an illicit economy and centered in Dubai, which is largely insulated from sanctions," he said. The United Arab Emirates has been frequently alleged of supplying weapons to the paramilitary group, allegations it disputes. "Expect more Colombian mercenaries," McFate warned.