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The US government has levied restrictions on a network of several persons and entities charged of hiring former Colombian soldiers to combat alongside and instruct a militia force in Sudan that Washington accuses of committing genocide.

Network Composition

Revealing the sanctions on this week, the Treasury stated the scheme was mostly comprised of Colombian citizens and firms.

Scores of ex-soldiers from Colombia have reportedly travelled to Sudan to combat beside the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a faction accused of terrible atrocities encompassing massacres based on ethnicity and large-scale abductions.

Revelation of Role

The role of these mercenaries was first uncovered the previous year, prompted by an inquiry which revealed that over three hundred ex-military personnel had been recruited to fight – an discovery that prompted an rare mea culpa from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

These South American veterans have long been considered as highly prized fighters in conflict zones due to their vast combat experience acquired during decades of civil war, knowledge of Nato equipment, and elite military instruction.

Activities in Sudan

In the Sudanese theater, the contractors have been accused of teaching underage fighters, instructed militiamen in drone operation, and engaged in frontline combat. One source previously stated that working with child soldiers was "awful and crazy" but noted that "sadly, that is the nature of conflict".

Named Entities

Among those targeted was a retired Colombian officer, a individual with dual citizenship and former army officer located in the United Arab Emirates. The Treasury accused him a key part in enlisting and transporting mercenaries to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was similarly targeted.

Also on the penalty list was Duque Botero, a dual Colombian-Spanish citizen who the Treasury stated managed a business implicated in handling funds and payroll for the scheme. "In 2024 and 2025, American entities linked to Duque engaged in numerous wire transfers, worth millions," the Treasury statement noted.

Colombian national Mónica Muñoz was the fourth individual to be penalized, with the company she managed accused of money transfers linked to Duque and his operations.

"The US once more urges external actors to cease providing monetary and weaponry aid to the combatants," the agency said in a statement.

Reaction

A senior analyst, from a conflict think tank, called the actions as a "very significant" development, noting that "calling out those who are doing the contracting is the correct approach".

Furthermore, the Colombian government has enacted a law endorsing the International Convention Against the Recruitment and Use of Mercenaries, aiming to curb its citizens' long history in international fights and transform national security policy.

Another expert, a scholar on the subject, advised additional measures, saying that "sanctions are necessary but insufficient for dealing with rampant mercenarism".

"It’s an illicit economy and centered in the UAE, which is largely insulated from sanctions," he said. The UAE has been repeatedly implicated of supplying weapons to the paramilitary group, an accusation it has denied. "Expect more Colombian mercenaries," McFate warned.