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The US government has imposed sanctions on a group of four individuals and four companies accused of hiring former Colombian soldiers to support and educate a Sudanese paramilitary group the United States claims of committing genocide.

Operation Structure

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

Scores of retired Colombian troops have been recruited to go to the conflict in Sudan to fight alongside the Sudanese RSF militia, a force implicated in terrible atrocities such as targeted ethnic killings and mass abductions.

Emergence of Involvement

The participation of ex-soldiers initially emerged last year, prompted by an investigation which disclosed that hundreds of ex-military personnel had been recruited to participate in the war – an revelation that prompted an rare mea culpa from officials in Bogotá.

Colombian ex-soldiers have long been considered as among the world’s most sought-after mercenaries due to their vast combat experience resulting from a long-running domestic war, training on Western military gear, and high-level combat training.

Reported Actions

In the conflict, the Colombians have allegedly instructed minors, provided drone warfare training, and participated in direct battles. One source remarked that working with child soldiers was "terrible and insane" but noted that "sadly, that is the nature of conflict".

Targeted Persons

Among those penalized was a retired Colombian officer, a citizen of both Colombia and Italy and ex-soldier located in the UAE. The government accused him a key part in hiring and sending ex-military personnel to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was similarly targeted.

Also on the sanctions list was Mateo Andrés Duque Botero, a individual with Colombian and Spanish citizenship who officials alleged ran a firm linked to handling funds and payroll for the scheme. "In 2024 and 2025, US-based firms linked to Duque carried out several money transfers, worth millions," the Treasury statement noted.

Colombian national Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the other individual to be sanctioned, with the entity she oversaw alleged to have wire transfers associated with Duque and his companies.

"Washington reiterates its demand for outside forces to cease providing funding and arms to the combatants," the Treasury stated.

Analyst Commentary

Elizabeth Dickinson, senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, labeled the actions as a "major" milestone, noting that "targeting the enablers is the right way to go".

Furthermore, the Colombian government ratified a statute ratifying the anti-mercenary convention, designed to limit decades of Colombian involvement in foreign conflicts and transform national security policy.

Sean McFate, a authority on private military contractors, advised additional measures, stating that "restrictions are needed but not enough for addressing widespread use of contractors".

"It’s an illicit economy and centered in Dubai, which is largely insulated from sanctions," he stated. The UAE has been repeatedly implicated of providing arms to the militia, allegations it disputes. "This trend will probably continue," he advised.