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The US government has imposed sanctions on a network of four people and four firms alleged of hiring Colombian mercenaries to combat alongside and instruct a militia force in Sudan the United States claims of genocidal acts.

Network Composition

Disclosing the restrictions on Tuesday, the US Treasury Department stated the operation was mostly comprised of individuals and businesses from Colombia.

Scores of ex-soldiers from Colombia have reportedly travelled to Sudan to fight alongside the Sudanese RSF militia, a faction implicated in severe violations encompassing massacres based on ethnicity and mass abductions.

Discovery of Participation

The role of these mercenaries first came to light last year, following an inquiry which found that over three hundred former soldiers had been hired to engage in combat – an discovery that resulted in an unprecedented apology from the Colombian government.

These South American veterans have long been considered as some of the most in-demand contractors globally due to their extensive battlefield experience acquired during a long-running domestic war, familiarity with advanced weaponry, and superior tactical education.

Role in the Conflict

In the conflict, the contractors have allegedly instructed minors, provided drone warfare training, and engaged in frontline combat. An individual involved previously stated that working with child soldiers was "awful and crazy" but noted that "unfortunately that’s how war is".

Targeted Persons

Among those sanctioned was a dual national, a citizen of both Colombia and Italy and ex-soldier operating from the Dubai. The government said he had a key part in hiring and sending former Colombian soldiers to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Oliveros, was penalized as well.

Also on the penalty list was Duque Botero, a dual national who officials alleged oversaw a company implicated in processing money and salaries for the recruitment operation. "In 2024 and 2025, companies in the United States connected to Duque conducted numerous wire transfers, totalling millions of US dollars," the Treasury statement said.

Colombian national Mónica Muñoz was the final person to be targeted, with the firm she operated alleged to have money transfers associated with Duque and his businesses.

"Washington reiterates its demand for external actors to stop giving funding and arms to the warring parties," the department announced.

Analyst Commentary

A senior analyst, from a conflict think tank, called the measures as a "major" development, noting that "calling out those who are doing the contracting is the right way to go".

Furthermore, Bogotá recently passed a law endorsing the anti-mercenary convention, aiming to curb years of participation by its nationals in overseas wars and transform domestic defense strategy.

A mercenary specialist, a authority on private military contractors, urged more caution, stating that "penalties are required yet incomplete for combating widespread use of contractors".

"It’s an illicit economy and based out of the UAE, which is relatively sanction-proof," he said. The Emirati government has been widely accused of providing arms to the militia, claims it rejects. "This trend will probably continue," he advised.