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The US government has enforced penalties on a operation of several persons and entities accused of enlisting Colombian mercenaries to combat alongside and instruct a militia force in Sudan which the US alleges of acts of genocide.

Network Composition

Announcing the sanctions on this week, the Treasury stated the scheme was primarily made up of Colombian citizens and firms.

Hundreds of ex-soldiers from Colombia have reportedly travelled to Sudan to operate with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a group implicated in horrific war crimes such as ethnically targeted slaughter and mass abductions.

Emergence of Involvement

The role of these mercenaries first came to light in 2024, prompted by an inquiry which found that hundreds of retired troops had been hired to engage in combat – an discovery that resulted in an rare mea culpa from the Colombian government.

Colombian ex-soldiers have historically been seen as some of the most in-demand contractors globally due to their vast combat experience acquired during decades of civil war, training on advanced weaponry, and elite military instruction.

Role in the Conflict

In the conflict, the contractors have reportedly trained child soldiers, instructed militiamen in drone operation, and engaged in frontline combat. One source remarked that instructing minors was "horrific and irrational" but added that "unfortunately that’s how war is".

Targeted Persons

Among those targeted was a retired Colombian officer, a citizen of both Colombia and Italy and former army officer operating from the UAE. The US authorities alleged he played a central role in enlisting and transporting former Colombian soldiers to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was similarly targeted.

Also on the restricted list was Mateo Duque Botero, a dual Colombian-Spanish citizen who officials alleged ran a firm implicated in managing finances and payments for the network. "In 2024 and 2025, companies in the United States connected to Duque engaged in several money transfers, amounting to millions," the government release said.

Colombian national Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the fourth individual to be targeted, with the entity she oversaw said to have conducted money transfers associated with Duque and his companies.

"The United States again calls on outside forces to halt the flow of financial and military support to the combatants," the department stated.

Analyst Commentary

An expert, from a conflict think tank, called the measures as a "highly important" development, noting that "targeting the enablers is the proper strategy".

It was also noted that, Bogotá ratified a law ratifying the anti-mercenary convention, aiming to curb years of participation by its nationals in overseas wars and transform national security policy.

A mercenary specialist, a authority on private military contractors, urged more caution, saying that "restrictions are needed but not enough for dealing with widespread use of contractors".

"This is a shadow economy and operating from the Emirates, which is difficult to penalize," he said. The United Arab Emirates has been widely accused of providing arms to the militia, claims it rejects. "This trend will probably continue," he advised.