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The US government has imposed sanctions on a operation of four individuals and four companies alleged of hiring Colombian mercenaries to fight for and train a militia force in Sudan that Washington accuses of acts of genocide.

Operation Structure

Revealing the measures on this week, the US Treasury Department stated the operation was largely composed of Colombian nationals and companies.

Hundreds of former Colombian military personnel have been recruited to go to the conflict in Sudan to operate with the RSF paramilitary group, a force implicated in horrific war crimes such as targeted ethnic killings and mass abductions.

Discovery of Participation

The role of these mercenaries initially emerged the previous year, after an inquiry which disclosed that more than 300 retired troops had been contracted to participate in the war – an discovery that led to an rare mea culpa from officials in Bogotá.

These South American veterans have long been considered as highly prized fighters in conflict zones due to their vast combat experience gleaned from a long-running domestic war, knowledge of Western military gear, and high-level combat training.

Reported Actions

In Sudan, the contractors have reportedly trained child soldiers, provided drone warfare training, and engaged in frontline combat. A mercenary previously stated 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 dual national, a citizen of both Colombia and Italy and retired Colombian military officer located in the UAE. The government accused him a key part in hiring and sending ex-military personnel to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Oliveros, was also sanctioned.

Also on the penalty list was Mateo Duque Botero, a individual with Colombian and Spanish citizenship who authorities say ran a firm implicated in processing money and salaries for the recruitment operation. "In 2024 and 2025, companies in the United States linked to Duque engaged in numerous wire transfers, totalling millions of US dollars," the Treasury statement noted.

Colombian national Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the other individual to be penalized, with the firm she operated accused of money transfers linked to Duque and his businesses.

"The United States again calls on external actors to stop giving monetary and weaponry aid to the combatants," the agency said in a statement.

Reaction

A senior analyst, senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, labeled the actions as a "very significant" development, saying that "targeting the enablers is the correct approach".

She added that, Colombia recently passed a law approving the International Convention Against the Recruitment and Use of Mercenaries, designed to limit decades of Colombian involvement in international fights and transform domestic defense strategy.

Sean McFate, a authority on private military contractors, advised additional measures, saying that "penalties are required yet incomplete for dealing with widespread use of contractors".

"It’s an illicit economy and based out of the Emirates, which is relatively sanction-proof," he stated. The United Arab Emirates has been frequently alleged of providing arms to the militia, claims it rejects. "Expect more Colombian mercenaries," he advised.