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The US government has levied restrictions on a group of several persons and entities accused of hiring former Colombian soldiers to combat alongside and instruct a Sudanese paramilitary group which the US alleges of genocidal acts.

Operation Structure

Revealing the sanctions on this week, the Treasury stated the scheme was primarily made up of individuals and businesses from Colombia.

Numerous of retired Colombian troops have been recruited to go to the conflict in Sudan to operate with the RSF paramilitary group, a faction implicated in horrific war crimes such as ethnically targeted slaughter and widespread kidnappings.

Revelation of Role

The role of these mercenaries initially emerged the previous year, after an report which revealed that more than 300 retired troops had been contracted to participate in the war – an event that resulted in an rare mea culpa from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

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

Reported Actions

In the Sudanese theater, the mercenaries have reportedly trained underage fighters, provided drone warfare training, and participated in direct battles. One source remarked that training children was "horrific and irrational" but commented that "sadly, that is the nature of conflict".

Targeted Persons

Among those penalized was a dual national, a dual Colombian-Italian national and former army officer operating from the Dubai. The government alleged he played a central role in recruiting and deploying former Colombian soldiers to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Oliveros, was similarly targeted.

Also on the penalty list was Mateo Andrés Duque Botero, a dual national who the Treasury stated oversaw a company linked to handling funds and payroll for the recruitment operation. "In 2024 and 2025, US-based firms linked to Duque conducted numerous wire transfers, totalling millions of US dollars," the government release noted.

Individual Mónica Muñoz was the other individual to be targeted, with the company she managed alleged to have financial transactions connected to Duque and his operations.

"The United States again calls on foreign parties to cease providing monetary and weaponry aid to the warring parties," the department stated.

Analyst Commentary

A senior analyst, with the International Crisis Group, labeled the sanctions as a "major" development, saying that "calling out those who are doing the contracting is the proper strategy".

She added that, the Colombian government has enacted a statute approving the global treaty against mercenarism, designed to limit years of participation by its nationals in foreign conflicts and transform national security policy.

A mercenary specialist, a scholar on the subject, advised additional measures, noting that "penalties are required yet incomplete for dealing with the growing mercenary trade".

"It’s an illicit economy and operating from the UAE, which is largely insulated from sanctions," he said. The UAE has been widely accused of providing arms to the militia, claims it rejects. "Expect more Colombian mercenaries," he advised.