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The United States has levied restrictions on a network of four individuals and four companies charged of hiring Colombian mercenaries to fight for and train a armed faction in Sudan which the US alleges of acts of genocide.

Group Makeup

Announcing the measures on Tuesday, the US Treasury Department stated the scheme was primarily made up of Colombian citizens and firms.

Scores of retired Colombian troops have allegedly journeyed to the Sudanese warzone to fight alongside the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a group linked to horrific war crimes including massacres based on ethnicity and widespread kidnappings.

Revelation of Role

The participation of ex-soldiers first came to light in 2024, after an investigation which found that hundreds of retired troops had been contracted to participate in the war – an discovery that prompted an unprecedented apology from officials in Bogotá.

Colombian ex-soldiers have widely regarded as among the world’s most sought-after mercenaries due to their vast combat experience gleaned from a long-running domestic war, training on Western military gear, and superior tactical education.

Reported Actions

In Sudan, the contractors have reportedly trained child soldiers, instructed militiamen in drone operation, and participated in direct battles. An individual involved was quoted as saying that working with child soldiers was "terrible and insane" but added that "unfortunately that’s how war is".

Sanctioned Individuals

Among those penalized was a retired Colombian officer, a dual Colombian-Italian national and former army officer based in the UAE. The government said he had a central role in recruiting and deploying 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 authorities say ran a firm linked to managing finances and payments for the network. "Over the past two years, US-based firms associated with Duque engaged in several money transfers, amounting to millions," the Treasury statement stated.

Colombian national Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the final person to be penalized, with the firm she operated alleged to have money transfers connected to Duque and his businesses.

"The United States again calls on external actors to halt the flow of financial and military support to the belligerents," the department announced.

Reaction

A senior analyst, from a conflict think tank, called the measures as a "very significant" milestone, noting that "identifying the recruiters is the proper strategy".

Furthermore, Bogotá ratified a piece of legislation endorsing the global treaty against mercenarism, designed to limit decades of Colombian involvement in international fights and reshape its security approach.

Another expert, a authority on private military contractors, urged more caution, stating that "restrictions are needed but not enough for addressing widespread use of contractors".

"This is a shadow economy and based out of Dubai, which is relatively sanction-proof," he commented. The Emirati government has been repeatedly implicated of arming the RSF, allegations it disputes. "Expect more Colombian mercenaries," the expert cautioned.