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The US government has levied restrictions on a network of four individuals and four companies charged of hiring Colombian mercenaries to fight for and train a militia force in Sudan that Washington accuses of committing genocide.

Operation Structure

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

Scores of ex-soldiers from Colombia have allegedly journeyed to Sudan to combat beside the RSF paramilitary group, a group accused of terrible atrocities including targeted ethnic killings and widespread kidnappings.

Revelation of Role

The involvement of Colombian fighters first came to light in 2024, after an investigation which found that hundreds of former soldiers had been contracted to engage in combat – an discovery that prompted an unusual statement of regret from officials in Bogotá.

These South American veterans have widely regarded as highly prized fighters in conflict zones due to their extensive battlefield experience gleaned from years of internal conflict, training on advanced weaponry, and elite military instruction.

Role in the Conflict

In the conflict, the Colombians have reportedly trained minors, instructed militiamen in drone operation, and fought directly on the frontlines. A mercenary remarked that training children was "terrible and insane" but commented that "regrettably, war operates that way".

Targeted Persons

Among those sanctioned was a retired Colombian officer, a dual Colombian-Italian national and retired Colombian military officer based in the Dubai. The US authorities accused him a central role in hiring and sending mercenaries to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Oliveros, was also sanctioned.

Also on the sanctions list was Mateo Duque Botero, a dual Colombian-Spanish citizen who officials alleged oversaw a company linked to handling funds and payroll for the network. "In 2024 and 2025, companies in the United States linked to Duque conducted several money transfers, amounting to millions," the official announcement stated.

Citizen of Colombia Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the fourth individual to be sanctioned, with the firm she operated alleged to have wire transfers associated with Duque and his businesses.

"The US once more urges foreign parties to halt the flow of financial and military support to the belligerents," the agency stated.

Expert Analysis

Elizabeth Dickinson, from a conflict think tank, described the measures as a "major" step, stating that "identifying the recruiters is the correct approach".

It was also noted that, Bogotá recently passed a law ratifying the anti-mercenary convention, seeking to reduce its citizens' long history in overseas wars and change domestic defense strategy.

Sean McFate, a scholar on the subject, advised additional measures, stating that "sanctions are necessary but insufficient for combating rampant mercenarism".

"It’s an illicit economy and operating from Dubai, which is relatively sanction-proof," he commented. The Emirati government has been repeatedly implicated of providing arms to the militia, claims it rejects. "More contractors from Colombia are likely," McFate warned.