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The United States has levied restrictions on a group of four individuals and four companies accused of recruiting former Colombian soldiers to support and educate a militia force in Sudan the United States claims of committing genocide.

Group Makeup

Announcing the sanctions on Tuesday, the Treasury stated the network was largely composed of individuals and businesses from Colombia.

Scores of ex-soldiers from Colombia have reportedly travelled to Sudan to combat beside the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a group implicated in severe violations such as targeted ethnic killings and widespread kidnappings.

Emergence of Involvement

The participation of ex-soldiers was first uncovered the previous year, following an investigation which found that hundreds of former soldiers had been hired to fight – an revelation that resulted in an unprecedented apology from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

These South American veterans have historically been seen as some of the most in-demand contractors globally due to their extensive battlefield experience acquired during decades of civil war, familiarity with advanced weaponry, and high-level combat training.

Activities in Sudan

In Sudan, the mercenaries have reportedly trained child soldiers, instructed militiamen in drone operation, and engaged in frontline combat. A mercenary previously stated that working with child soldiers was "horrific and irrational" but commented that "unfortunately that’s how war is".

Sanctioned Individuals

Among those targeted was a retired Colombian officer, a citizen of both Colombia and Italy and former army officer operating from the United Arab Emirates. The US authorities accused him a key part in enlisting and transporting ex-military personnel to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Oliveros, was similarly targeted.

Also on the restricted list was Mateo Duque Botero, a dual Colombian-Spanish citizen who officials alleged ran a firm implicated in managing finances and payments for the recruitment operation. "In 2024 and 2025, American entities associated with Duque carried out numerous wire transfers, amounting to millions," the government release stated.

Colombian national Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the final person to be targeted, with the firm she operated accused of financial transactions associated with Duque and his businesses.

"The US once more urges external actors to halt the flow of financial and military support to the combatants," the agency said in a statement.

Reaction

Elizabeth Dickinson, senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, called the measures as a "highly important" step, stating that "identifying the recruiters is the proper strategy".

She added that, Bogotá ratified a law ratifying the International Convention Against the Recruitment and Use of Mercenaries, aiming to curb decades of Colombian involvement in international fights and reshape its security approach.

Sean McFate, a scholar on the subject, called for greater wariness, saying that "penalties are required yet incomplete for combating rampant mercenarism".

"It’s an illicit economy and based out of the UAE, which is largely insulated from sanctions," he commented. The Emirati government has been frequently alleged of arming the RSF, claims it rejects. "This trend will probably continue," the expert cautioned.