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The Washington has levied restrictions on a network of several persons and entities accused of enlisting Colombian mercenaries to fight for and train a militia force in Sudan the United States claims of acts of genocide.

Network Composition

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

Scores of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been recruited to go to the Sudanese warzone to fight alongside the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a faction implicated in horrific war crimes such as ethnically targeted slaughter and widespread kidnappings.

Revelation of Role

The role of these mercenaries first came to light the previous year, following an investigation which disclosed that over three hundred ex-military personnel had been contracted to engage in combat – an discovery that prompted an rare mea culpa from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

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

Reported Actions

In Sudan, the Colombians have allegedly instructed underage fighters, provided drone warfare training, and fought directly on the frontlines. A mercenary remarked that instructing minors was "awful and crazy" but added that "sadly, that is the nature of conflict".

Named Entities

Among those sanctioned was a retired Colombian officer, a individual with dual citizenship and former army officer based in the UAE. The US authorities said he had a central role in recruiting and deploying mercenaries to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Oliveros, was similarly targeted.

Also on the penalty list was Mateo Andrés Duque Botero, a dual Colombian-Spanish citizen who authorities say ran a firm implicated in processing money and salaries for the network. "In 2024 and 2025, companies in the United States linked to Duque conducted numerous wire transfers, amounting to millions," the Treasury statement noted.

Individual Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the final person to be penalized, with the company she managed said to have conducted financial transactions connected to Duque and his businesses.

"The United States again calls on foreign parties to stop giving financial and military support to the belligerents," the agency stated.

Reaction

A senior analyst, from a conflict think tank, called the measures as a "very significant" milestone, noting that "targeting the enablers is the right way to go".

It was also noted that, the Colombian government ratified a piece of legislation endorsing the anti-mercenary convention, seeking to reduce its citizens' long history in overseas wars and change domestic defense strategy.

Another expert, a scholar on the subject, advised additional measures, noting that "restrictions are needed but not enough for combating the growing mercenary trade".

"It’s an illicit economy and operating from Dubai, which is relatively sanction-proof," he stated. The United Arab Emirates has been widely accused of arming the RSF, an accusation it has denied. "Expect more Colombian mercenaries," the expert cautioned.