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The United States has levied restrictions on a operation of four people and four firms charged of enlisting Colombian mercenaries to support and educate a Sudanese paramilitary group the United States claims of genocidal acts.

Network Composition

Disclosing the measures on Tuesday, the Treasury stated the scheme was largely composed of Colombian nationals and companies.

Numerous of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been recruited to go to Sudan to combat beside the RSF paramilitary group, a group implicated in severe violations including ethnically targeted slaughter and large-scale abductions.

Revelation of Role

The involvement of Colombian fighters was first uncovered in 2024, prompted by an report which found that hundreds of ex-military personnel had been hired to participate in the war – an discovery that resulted in an unusual statement of regret from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

Colombian ex-soldiers have widely regarded as among the world’s most sought-after mercenaries due to their extensive battlefield experience gleaned from years of internal conflict, knowledge of advanced weaponry, and superior tactical education.

Reported Actions

In the Sudanese theater, the contractors have reportedly trained minors, instructed militiamen in drone operation, and engaged in frontline combat. An individual involved remarked that instructing minors was "terrible and insane" but added that "unfortunately that’s how war is".

Sanctioned Individuals

Among those sanctioned was a retired Colombian officer, a individual with dual citizenship and former army officer based in the Dubai. The US authorities alleged he played a central role in hiring and sending ex-military personnel to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was penalized as well.

Also on the restricted list was Mateo Duque Botero, a individual with Colombian and Spanish citizenship who officials alleged ran a firm accused of managing finances and payments for the scheme. "In 2024 and 2025, companies in the United States connected to Duque conducted multiple financial transactions, amounting to millions," the Treasury statement said.

Citizen of Colombia Mónica Muñoz was the other individual to be sanctioned, with the company she managed accused of wire transfers linked to Duque and his operations.

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

Reaction

An expert, senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, labeled the actions as a "highly important" step, stating that "calling out those who are doing the contracting is the right way to go".

Furthermore, the Colombian government has enacted a statute ratifying the global treaty against mercenarism, seeking to reduce its citizens' long history in international fights and change its security approach.

Sean McFate, a authority on private military contractors, urged more caution, stating that "sanctions are necessary but insufficient for combating the growing mercenary trade".

"It operates in the black market and operating from Dubai, which is relatively sanction-proof," he stated. The Emirati government has been frequently alleged of supplying weapons to the paramilitary group, an accusation it has denied. "This trend will probably continue," McFate warned.