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The United States has enforced penalties on a network of four individuals and four companies charged of recruiting Colombian mercenaries to support and educate a militia force in Sudan which the US alleges of committing genocide.

Network Composition

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

Numerous of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been recruited to go to the Sudanese warzone to combat beside the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a force accused of terrible atrocities encompassing targeted ethnic killings and mass abductions.

Revelation of Role

The involvement of Colombian fighters first came to light in 2024, prompted by an investigation which found that more than 300 former soldiers had been recruited to fight – an event that resulted in an unprecedented apology from the Colombian government.

Former Colombian military have long been considered as some of the most in-demand contractors globally due to their considerable warzone knowledge acquired during decades of civil war, training on advanced weaponry, and superior tactical education.

Reported Actions

In the Sudanese theater, the mercenaries have allegedly instructed minors, provided drone warfare training, and participated in direct battles. A mercenary was quoted as saying that working with child soldiers was "awful and crazy" but added that "sadly, that is the nature of conflict".

Sanctioned Individuals

Among those sanctioned was a dual national, a citizen of both Colombia and Italy and former army officer based in the Dubai. The US authorities accused him a pivotal function in enlisting and transporting ex-military personnel to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was similarly targeted.

Also on the sanctions list was Mateo Andrés Duque Botero, a individual with Colombian and Spanish citizenship who officials alleged oversaw a company implicated in handling funds and payroll for the network. "In 2024 and 2025, American entities linked to Duque carried out several money transfers, totalling millions of US dollars," the government release said.

Citizen of Colombia Mónica Muñoz was the fourth individual to be penalized, with the firm she operated alleged to have money transfers connected to Duque and his companies.

"Washington reiterates its demand for external actors to halt the flow of financial and military support to the combatants," the department said in a statement.

Expert Analysis

A senior analyst, senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, called the sanctions as a "very significant" development, saying that "calling out those who are doing the contracting is the right way to go".

Furthermore, Colombia has enacted a statute ratifying the anti-mercenary convention, designed to limit its citizens' long history in overseas wars and transform domestic defense strategy.

Sean McFate, an expert on mercenaries, urged more caution, stating that "penalties are required yet incomplete for addressing rampant mercenarism".

"This is a shadow economy and centered in the UAE, which is largely insulated from sanctions," he said. The UAE has been widely accused of supplying weapons to the paramilitary group, allegations it disputes. "Expect more Colombian mercenaries," he advised.