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The United States has imposed sanctions on a group of several persons and entities charged of enlisting Colombian mercenaries to combat alongside and instruct a armed faction in Sudan that Washington accuses of acts of genocide.

Group Makeup

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

Hundreds of retired Colombian troops have reportedly travelled to Sudan to combat beside the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a faction accused of horrific war crimes encompassing targeted ethnic killings and mass abductions.

Discovery of Participation

The involvement of Colombian fighters first came to light in 2024, after an report which revealed that over three hundred retired troops had been recruited to engage in combat – an discovery that resulted in an rare mea culpa from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

These South American veterans have widely regarded as among the world’s most sought-after mercenaries due to their extensive battlefield experience acquired during years of internal conflict, training on advanced weaponry, and high-level combat training.

Role in the Conflict

In the conflict, the mercenaries have reportedly trained child soldiers, instructed militiamen in drone operation, and engaged in frontline combat. One source remarked that working with child soldiers was "horrific and irrational" but noted that "sadly, that is the nature of conflict".

Named Entities

Among those penalized was a retired Colombian officer, a citizen of both Colombia and Italy and retired Colombian military officer based in the UAE. The Treasury said he had a pivotal function 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 dual Colombian-Spanish citizen who officials alleged managed a business implicated in handling funds and payroll for the network. "In 2024 and 2025, companies in the United States linked to Duque carried out several money transfers, worth millions," the government release noted.

Colombian national Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the fourth individual to be sanctioned, with the entity she oversaw accused of financial transactions connected to Duque and his companies.

"Washington reiterates its demand for outside forces to stop giving monetary and weaponry aid to the combatants," the agency announced.

Expert Analysis

A senior analyst, from a conflict think tank, labeled the measures as a "major" milestone, stating that "calling out those who are doing the contracting is the proper strategy".

Furthermore, the Colombian government recently passed a statute approving the global treaty against mercenarism, aiming to curb its citizens' long history in international fights and reshape its security approach.

Sean McFate, a scholar on the subject, called for greater wariness, stating that "penalties are required yet incomplete for dealing with the growing mercenary trade".

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