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The United States has imposed sanctions on a group of several persons and entities charged of enlisting Colombian mercenaries to fight for and train a militia force in Sudan the United States claims of committing genocide.

Group Makeup

Announcing the measures on Tuesday, the Treasury stated the network was largely composed of Colombian citizens and firms.

Scores of former Colombian military personnel have reportedly travelled to Sudan to fight alongside the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a group linked to horrific war crimes such as ethnically targeted slaughter and widespread kidnappings.

Revelation of Role

The role of these mercenaries was first uncovered in 2024, prompted by an inquiry which revealed that more than 300 ex-military personnel had been recruited to fight – an discovery that prompted an unprecedented apology from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

Former Colombian military have widely regarded as some of the most in-demand contractors globally due to their extensive battlefield experience gleaned from a long-running domestic war, knowledge of Nato equipment, and superior tactical education.

Activities in Sudan

In the conflict, the Colombians have been accused of teaching minors, provided drone warfare training, and participated in direct battles. An individual involved remarked that training children was "awful and crazy" but commented that "unfortunately that’s how war is".

Targeted Persons

Among those penalized was a retired Colombian officer, a dual Colombian-Italian national and ex-soldier based in the United Arab Emirates. The US authorities accused him a central role in recruiting and deploying former Colombian soldiers to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Oliveros, was penalized as well.

Also on the penalty list was Mateo Andrés Duque Botero, a dual national who the Treasury stated ran a firm linked to handling funds and payroll for the recruitment operation. "In 2024 and 2025, American entities linked to Duque conducted several money transfers, worth millions," the official announcement stated.

Individual Mónica Muñoz was the fourth individual to be penalized, with the entity she oversaw alleged to have money transfers connected to Duque and his businesses.

"Washington reiterates its demand for external actors to stop giving financial and military support to the belligerents," the Treasury said in a statement.

Analyst Commentary

Elizabeth Dickinson, from a conflict think tank, labeled the sanctions as a "very significant" milestone, saying that "targeting the enablers is the correct approach".

Furthermore, the Colombian government has enacted a law approving the anti-mercenary convention, seeking to reduce years of participation by its nationals in international fights and change its security approach.

Another expert, a authority on private military contractors, called for greater wariness, saying that "sanctions are necessary but insufficient for combating the growing mercenary trade".

"It operates in the black market and based out of the UAE, which is largely insulated from sanctions," he stated. The United Arab Emirates has been repeatedly implicated of providing arms to the militia, allegations it disputes. "Expect more Colombian mercenaries," the expert cautioned.