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The Washington has enforced penalties on a group of four individuals and four companies accused of recruiting Colombian mercenaries to support and educate a militia force in Sudan which the US alleges of acts of genocide.

Group Makeup

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

Hundreds of former Colombian military personnel have been recruited to go to the conflict in Sudan to fight alongside the RSF paramilitary group, a force accused of terrible atrocities such as ethnically targeted slaughter and widespread kidnappings.

Discovery of Participation

The participation of ex-soldiers initially emerged the previous year, after an inquiry which disclosed that hundreds of retired troops had been hired to fight – an revelation that prompted an rare mea culpa from officials in Bogotá.

Colombian ex-soldiers have long been considered as some of the most in-demand contractors globally due to their extensive battlefield experience acquired during years of internal conflict, knowledge of advanced weaponry, and elite military instruction.

Role in the Conflict

In the conflict, the Colombians have allegedly instructed underage fighters, taught fighters to pilot drones, and participated in direct battles. One source was quoted as saying that working with child soldiers was "horrific and irrational" but commented that "regrettably, war operates that way".

Sanctioned Individuals

Among those penalized was a retired Colombian officer, a citizen of both Colombia and Italy and ex-soldier located in the United Arab Emirates. The Treasury said he had a pivotal function in hiring and sending former Colombian soldiers to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Oliveros, was penalized as well.

Also on the sanctions list was Mateo Andrés Duque Botero, a dual national who authorities say ran a firm implicated in managing finances and payments for the scheme. "In 2024 and 2025, US-based firms linked to Duque engaged in multiple financial transactions, totalling millions of US dollars," the Treasury statement stated.

Individual Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the other individual to be targeted, with the firm she operated alleged to have financial transactions connected to Duque and his operations.

"The United States again calls on outside forces to halt the flow of financial and military support to the combatants," the agency stated.

Reaction

A senior analyst, from a conflict think tank, described the actions as a "very significant" step, saying that "identifying the recruiters is the correct approach".

She added that, Colombia has enacted a statute endorsing the anti-mercenary convention, seeking to reduce its citizens' long history in overseas wars and reshape national security policy.

Another expert, a authority on private military contractors, called for greater wariness, noting that "restrictions are needed but not enough for addressing widespread use of contractors".

"It operates in the black market and operating from the Emirates, which is largely insulated from sanctions," he commented. The Emirati government has been frequently alleged of providing arms to the militia, allegations it disputes. "This trend will probably continue," McFate warned.