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The United States has levied restrictions on a group of four people and four firms accused of recruiting former Colombian soldiers to fight for and train a militia force in Sudan the United States claims of genocidal acts.

Network Composition

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

Scores of ex-soldiers from Colombia have reportedly travelled to the conflict in Sudan to combat beside the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a force implicated in terrible atrocities including targeted ethnic killings and large-scale abductions.

Revelation of Role

The role of these mercenaries first came to light last year, after an inquiry which revealed that hundreds of former soldiers had been recruited to engage in combat – an event that prompted an rare mea culpa from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

Colombian ex-soldiers have historically been seen as among the world’s most sought-after mercenaries due to their vast combat experience gleaned from decades of civil war, familiarity with advanced weaponry, and elite military instruction.

Role in the Conflict

In the conflict, the contractors have reportedly trained underage fighters, taught fighters to pilot drones, and fought directly on the frontlines. A mercenary remarked that instructing minors was "awful and crazy" but noted that "unfortunately that’s how war is".

Sanctioned Individuals

Among those sanctioned was a retired Colombian officer, a citizen of both Colombia and Italy and retired Colombian military officer located in the UAE. The US authorities accused him a key part in enlisting and transporting ex-military personnel to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Oliveros, was also sanctioned.

Also on the penalty list was Mateo Duque Botero, a individual with Colombian and Spanish citizenship who authorities say oversaw a company linked to handling funds and payroll for the scheme. "In 2024 and 2025, US-based firms associated with Duque conducted numerous wire transfers, amounting to millions," the government release said.

Citizen of Colombia Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the fourth individual to be sanctioned, with the firm she operated said to have conducted wire transfers linked to Duque and his companies.

"The US once more urges external actors to halt the flow of funding and arms to the warring parties," the agency said in a statement.

Reaction

An expert, with the International Crisis Group, described the sanctions as a "major" development, saying that "calling out those who are doing the contracting is the right way to go".

She added that, the Colombian government recently passed a law ratifying the anti-mercenary convention, designed to limit decades of Colombian involvement in foreign conflicts and reshape its security approach.

Another expert, an expert on mercenaries, called for greater wariness, noting that "restrictions are needed but not enough for combating the growing mercenary trade".

"It operates in the black market and centered in the UAE, which is largely insulated from sanctions," he said. The United Arab Emirates has been widely accused of supplying weapons to the paramilitary group, an accusation it has denied. "More contractors from Colombia are likely," he advised.