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The United States has levied restrictions on a group of four people and four firms charged of hiring Colombian mercenaries to combat alongside and instruct a armed faction in Sudan which the US alleges of acts of genocide.

Group Makeup

Revealing the restrictions on Tuesday, the American treasury stated the network was primarily made up of Colombian citizens and firms.

Hundreds of ex-soldiers from Colombia have allegedly journeyed to the conflict in Sudan to fight alongside the RSF paramilitary group, a force accused of severe violations including ethnically targeted slaughter and mass abductions.

Discovery of Participation

The participation of ex-soldiers was first uncovered the previous year, following an inquiry which found that over three hundred retired troops had been hired to engage in combat – an discovery that prompted an unprecedented apology from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

Colombian ex-soldiers have long been considered as highly prized fighters in conflict zones due to their considerable warzone knowledge resulting from decades of civil war, familiarity with Nato equipment, and high-level combat training.

Activities in Sudan

In Sudan, the Colombians have reportedly trained underage fighters, instructed militiamen in drone operation, and engaged in frontline combat. One source previously stated that instructing minors was "terrible and insane" but noted that "sadly, that is the nature of conflict".

Targeted Persons

Among those sanctioned was a retired Colombian officer, a dual Colombian-Italian national and former army officer located in the Dubai. The government accused him a central role in hiring and sending mercenaries to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Oliveros, was also sanctioned.

Also on the restricted list was Mateo Andrés Duque Botero, a individual with Colombian and Spanish citizenship who authorities say oversaw a company linked to managing finances and payments for the network. "In 2024 and 2025, US-based firms linked to Duque conducted multiple financial transactions, amounting to millions," the government release stated.

Citizen of Colombia Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the fourth individual to be penalized, with the firm she operated said to have conducted financial transactions linked to Duque and his businesses.

"The United States again calls on outside forces to stop giving funding and arms to the belligerents," the Treasury said in a statement.

Reaction

A senior analyst, senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, labeled the measures as a "highly important" development, saying that "targeting the enablers is the proper strategy".

Furthermore, the Colombian government recently passed a statute ratifying the anti-mercenary convention, seeking to reduce its citizens' long history in overseas wars and change national security policy.

A mercenary specialist, a authority on private military contractors, urged more caution, stating that "sanctions are necessary but insufficient for addressing widespread use of contractors".

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