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The Washington has enforced penalties on a network of several persons and entities charged of hiring Colombian mercenaries to combat alongside and instruct a Sudanese paramilitary group that Washington accuses of committing genocide.

Group Makeup

Disclosing the sanctions on Tuesday, the US Treasury Department stated the scheme was primarily made up of individuals and businesses from Colombia.

Scores of former Colombian military personnel have reportedly travelled to the conflict in Sudan to operate with the RSF paramilitary group, a faction accused of horrific war crimes such as ethnically targeted slaughter and mass abductions.

Discovery of Participation

The involvement of Colombian fighters was first uncovered in 2024, after an investigation which found that hundreds of retired troops had been recruited to fight – an event that led to an unusual statement of regret from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

These South American veterans have widely regarded as some of the most in-demand contractors globally due to their considerable warzone knowledge acquired during years of internal conflict, knowledge of advanced weaponry, and superior tactical education.

Activities in Sudan

In the conflict, the contractors have reportedly trained child soldiers, provided drone warfare training, and engaged in frontline combat. A mercenary previously stated that training children was "terrible and insane" but noted that "sadly, that is the nature of conflict".

Sanctioned Individuals

Among those targeted was a dual national, a individual with dual citizenship and ex-soldier operating from the United Arab Emirates. The US authorities accused him a pivotal function in recruiting and deploying former Colombian soldiers to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was penalized as well.

Also on the sanctions list was Mateo Duque Botero, a dual national who the Treasury stated managed a business accused of handling funds and payroll for the scheme. "Recently, companies in the United States linked to Duque carried out several money transfers, worth millions," the official announcement said.

Citizen of Colombia Mónica Muñoz 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 external actors to stop giving financial and military support to the warring parties," the agency stated.

Reaction

A senior analyst, with the International Crisis Group, described the sanctions as a "highly important" milestone, noting that "calling out those who are doing the contracting is the right way to go".

It was also noted that, the Colombian government ratified a piece of legislation endorsing the International Convention Against the Recruitment and Use of Mercenaries, designed to limit years of participation by its nationals in overseas wars and reshape its security approach.

Another expert, an expert on mercenaries, called for greater wariness, saying that "penalties are required yet incomplete for dealing with rampant mercenarism".

"It’s an illicit economy and based out of Dubai, which is largely insulated from sanctions," he said. The Emirati government has been frequently alleged of supplying weapons to the paramilitary group, claims it rejects. "Expect more Colombian mercenaries," he advised.