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The US government has levied restrictions on a group of four individuals and four companies charged of enlisting Colombian mercenaries to support and educate a Sudanese paramilitary group that Washington accuses of acts of genocide.

Group Makeup

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

Numerous of retired Colombian troops have been recruited to go to Sudan to fight alongside the RSF paramilitary group, a group implicated in horrific war crimes encompassing ethnically targeted slaughter and mass abductions.

Revelation of Role

The participation of ex-soldiers initially emerged the previous year, after an investigation which revealed that over three hundred ex-military personnel had been contracted to fight – an revelation that prompted an rare mea culpa from the Colombian government.

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, knowledge of Western military gear, and high-level combat training.

Reported Actions

In the conflict, the contractors have allegedly instructed underage fighters, taught fighters to pilot drones, and engaged in frontline combat. One source was quoted as saying that working with child soldiers was "horrific and irrational" but commented that "unfortunately that’s how war is".

Named Entities

Among those penalized was a retired Colombian officer, a dual Colombian-Italian national and former army officer based in the Dubai. The government said he had a pivotal function in enlisting and transporting mercenaries to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Oliveros, was similarly targeted.

Also on the restricted list was Mateo Andrés Duque Botero, a dual Colombian-Spanish citizen who authorities say ran a firm implicated in handling funds and payroll for the recruitment operation. "In 2024 and 2025, US-based firms associated with Duque engaged in numerous wire transfers, amounting to millions," the Treasury statement said.

Citizen of Colombia Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the other individual to be sanctioned, with the company she managed alleged to have financial transactions associated with Duque and his operations.

"The United States again calls on external actors to stop giving monetary and weaponry aid to the belligerents," the Treasury announced.

Analyst Commentary

Elizabeth Dickinson, with the International Crisis Group, described the measures as a "highly important" step, saying that "calling out those who are doing the contracting is the correct approach".

It was also noted that, the Colombian government has enacted a law endorsing the anti-mercenary convention, designed to limit years of participation by its nationals in international fights and transform its security approach.

Sean McFate, a authority on private military contractors, advised additional measures, stating that "penalties are required yet incomplete for combating the growing mercenary trade".

"It operates in the black market and centered in the Emirates, which is largely insulated from sanctions," he commented. The United Arab Emirates has been repeatedly implicated of providing arms to the militia, allegations it disputes. "Expect more Colombian mercenaries," McFate warned.