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The Washington has levied restrictions on a network of four people and four firms alleged of enlisting Colombian mercenaries to fight for and train a militia force in Sudan which the US alleges of acts of genocide.

Group Makeup

Revealing the measures on Tuesday, the American treasury stated the network was mostly comprised of Colombian citizens and firms.

Hundreds of retired Colombian troops have been recruited to go to the conflict in Sudan to operate with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a faction implicated in horrific war crimes such as massacres based on ethnicity and widespread kidnappings.

Discovery of Participation

The role of these mercenaries was first uncovered the previous year, following an investigation which disclosed that over three hundred former soldiers had been contracted to fight – an event that prompted an rare mea culpa from the Colombian government.

These South American veterans have widely regarded as among the world’s most sought-after mercenaries due to their extensive battlefield experience acquired during decades of civil war, training on Western military gear, and superior tactical education.

Activities in Sudan

In the conflict, the mercenaries have allegedly instructed minors, instructed militiamen in drone operation, and fought directly on the frontlines. An individual involved was quoted as saying that working with child soldiers was "horrific and irrational" but commented that "sadly, that is the nature of conflict".

Named Entities

Among those targeted was a retired Colombian officer, a individual with dual citizenship and former army officer located in the UAE. The government alleged he played a pivotal function in enlisting and transporting ex-military personnel to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was similarly targeted.

Also on the restricted list was Mateo 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 associated with Duque engaged in numerous wire transfers, worth millions," the official announcement said.

Individual Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the fourth individual to be penalized, with the entity she oversaw said to have conducted money transfers linked to Duque and his businesses.

"The US once more urges foreign parties to cease providing monetary and weaponry aid to the belligerents," the Treasury announced.

Reaction

An expert, from a conflict think tank, called the actions as a "very significant" development, noting that "identifying the recruiters is the proper strategy".

Furthermore, the Colombian government recently passed a piece of legislation ratifying the International Convention Against the Recruitment and Use of Mercenaries, seeking to reduce its citizens' long history in overseas wars and transform its security approach.

Another expert, a authority on private military contractors, urged more caution, stating that "penalties are required yet incomplete for addressing the growing mercenary trade".

"This is a shadow economy and centered in the UAE, which is relatively sanction-proof," he said. The Emirati government has been widely accused of supplying weapons to the paramilitary group, an accusation it has denied. "Expect more Colombian mercenaries," the expert cautioned.