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The United States has enforced penalties on a group of four people and four firms charged of recruiting Colombian mercenaries to combat alongside and instruct a Sudanese paramilitary group the United States claims of committing genocide.

Network Composition

Announcing the sanctions on Tuesday, the Treasury stated the operation was largely composed of Colombian nationals and companies.

Scores of retired Colombian troops have been recruited to go to Sudan to operate with the Sudanese RSF militia, a group implicated in severe violations including ethnically targeted slaughter and widespread kidnappings.

Emergence of Involvement

The participation of ex-soldiers first came to light the previous year, prompted by an report which disclosed that more than 300 ex-military personnel had been recruited to engage in combat – an revelation that prompted an unprecedented apology from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

Colombian ex-soldiers have historically been seen as highly prized fighters in conflict zones due to their considerable warzone knowledge gleaned from decades of civil war, knowledge of Nato equipment, and superior tactical education.

Activities in Sudan

In Sudan, the Colombians have reportedly trained minors, taught fighters to pilot drones, and participated in direct battles. A mercenary remarked that working with child soldiers was "terrible and insane" but noted that "regrettably, war operates that way".

Targeted Persons

Among those targeted was a dual national, a citizen of both Colombia and Italy and ex-soldier located in the United Arab Emirates. The US authorities said he had a pivotal function in hiring and sending mercenaries to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Oliveros, was penalized as well.

Also on the restricted list was Mateo Andrés Duque Botero, a dual Colombian-Spanish citizen who the Treasury stated managed a business linked to handling funds and payroll for the scheme. "In 2024 and 2025, American entities linked to Duque engaged in numerous wire transfers, amounting to millions," the Treasury statement said.

Citizen of Colombia Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the final person to be targeted, with the entity she oversaw accused of financial transactions linked to Duque and his businesses.

"The US once more urges foreign parties to stop giving monetary and weaponry aid to the warring parties," the Treasury stated.

Reaction

A senior analyst, with the International Crisis Group, called the sanctions as a "very significant" step, stating that "calling out those who are doing the contracting is the proper strategy".

It was also noted that, Bogotá recently passed a piece of legislation approving the global treaty against mercenarism, seeking to reduce years of participation by its nationals in foreign conflicts and change its security approach.

A mercenary specialist, a scholar on the subject, called for greater wariness, saying that "sanctions are necessary but insufficient for combating rampant mercenarism".

"This is a shadow economy and operating from Dubai, which is largely insulated from sanctions," he stated. The Emirati government has been frequently alleged of arming the RSF, an accusation it has denied. "This trend will probably continue," he advised.