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The US government has enforced penalties on a operation of four people and four firms accused of enlisting former Colombian soldiers to support and educate a militia force in Sudan which the US alleges of genocidal acts.

Group Makeup

Revealing the measures on Tuesday, the Treasury stated the scheme was mostly comprised of Colombian nationals and companies.

Scores of former Colombian military personnel have allegedly journeyed to the conflict in Sudan to combat beside the RSF paramilitary group, a group linked to severe violations such as massacres based on ethnicity and large-scale abductions.

Revelation of Role

The involvement of Colombian fighters was first uncovered the previous year, after an investigation which disclosed that over three hundred former soldiers had been contracted to engage in combat – an discovery that prompted an unusual statement of regret from officials in Bogotá.

These South American veterans have long been considered as some of the most in-demand contractors globally due to their vast combat experience acquired during years of internal conflict, knowledge of Nato equipment, and superior tactical education.

Reported Actions

In the conflict, the mercenaries have reportedly trained child soldiers, instructed militiamen in drone operation, and engaged in frontline combat. An individual involved remarked that training children was "terrible and insane" but noted that "sadly, that is the nature of conflict".

Sanctioned Individuals

Among those sanctioned was a dual national, a citizen of both Colombia and Italy and former army officer operating from the UAE. The government accused him a pivotal function in hiring and sending mercenaries to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Oliveros, was penalized as well.

Also on the sanctions list was Mateo Duque Botero, a dual national who the Treasury stated oversaw a company implicated in managing finances and payments for the recruitment operation. "In 2024 and 2025, US-based firms associated with Duque engaged in numerous wire transfers, worth millions," the government release stated.

Colombian national Mónica Muñoz was the fourth individual to be targeted, with the entity she oversaw alleged to have money transfers associated with Duque and his operations.

"Washington reiterates its demand for outside forces to halt the flow of funding and arms to the combatants," the department said in a statement.

Expert Analysis

Elizabeth Dickinson, with the International Crisis Group, labeled the sanctions as a "highly important" milestone, noting that "identifying the recruiters is the right way to go".

Furthermore, Bogotá has enacted a statute ratifying the International Convention Against the Recruitment and Use of Mercenaries, seeking to reduce decades of Colombian involvement in overseas wars and reshape its security approach.

A mercenary specialist, an expert on mercenaries, urged more caution, stating that "restrictions are needed but not enough for dealing with the growing mercenary trade".

"It’s an illicit economy and centered in the UAE, which is difficult to penalize," he said. The Emirati government has been widely accused of arming the RSF, claims it rejects. "This trend will probably continue," he advised.