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The US government has imposed sanctions on a operation of four individuals and four companies accused of hiring Colombian mercenaries to support and educate a militia force in Sudan the United States claims of committing genocide.

Operation Structure

Disclosing the measures on this week, the US Treasury Department stated the scheme was mostly comprised of individuals and businesses from Colombia.

Hundreds of former Colombian military personnel have been recruited to go to Sudan to operate with the Sudanese RSF militia, a faction implicated in severe violations encompassing massacres based on ethnicity and mass abductions.

Discovery of Participation

The participation of ex-soldiers initially emerged the previous year, following an investigation which disclosed that hundreds of retired troops had been hired to participate in the war – an revelation that resulted in an unprecedented apology from the Colombian government.

These South American veterans have widely regarded as some of the most in-demand contractors globally due to their vast combat experience resulting from years of internal conflict, familiarity with Western military gear, and elite military instruction.

Role in the Conflict

In Sudan, the Colombians have allegedly instructed child soldiers, provided drone warfare training, and engaged in frontline combat. One source remarked that instructing minors was "terrible and insane" but commented that "regrettably, war operates that way".

Targeted Persons

Among those targeted was a dual national, a dual Colombian-Italian national and ex-soldier based in the UAE. The US authorities accused him a key part in hiring and sending mercenaries to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Oliveros, was similarly targeted.

Also on the penalty list was Mateo Duque Botero, a individual with Colombian and Spanish citizenship who the Treasury stated oversaw a company linked to handling funds and payroll for the network. "In 2024 and 2025, American entities connected to Duque conducted multiple financial transactions, totalling millions of US dollars," the Treasury statement stated.

Colombian national Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the other individual to be targeted, with the company she managed accused of financial transactions associated with Duque and his companies.

"The US once more urges outside forces to stop giving financial and military support to the combatants," the Treasury announced.

Analyst Commentary

Elizabeth Dickinson, from a conflict think tank, called the measures as a "major" development, stating that "identifying the recruiters is the right way to go".

She added that, Bogotá has enacted a piece of legislation approving the anti-mercenary convention, designed to limit decades of Colombian involvement in foreign conflicts and reshape domestic defense strategy.

Another expert, an expert on mercenaries, called for greater wariness, stating that "penalties are required yet incomplete for addressing widespread use of contractors".

"This is a shadow economy and centered in the Emirates, which is largely insulated from sanctions," he stated. The United Arab Emirates has been frequently alleged of supplying weapons to the paramilitary group, an accusation it has denied. "This trend will probably continue," McFate warned.