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The US government has levied restrictions on a network of four people and four firms accused of enlisting former Colombian soldiers to fight for and train a Sudanese paramilitary group the United States claims of committing genocide.

Group Makeup

Revealing the measures on this week, the Treasury stated the operation was primarily made up of Colombian nationals and companies.

Scores of retired Colombian troops have been recruited to go to the Sudanese warzone to combat beside the RSF paramilitary group, a faction accused of terrible atrocities encompassing massacres based on ethnicity and mass abductions.

Revelation of Role

The participation of ex-soldiers first came to light the previous year, prompted by an report which found that more than 300 former soldiers had been hired to participate in the war – an revelation that resulted in an rare mea culpa from officials in Bogotá.

Former Colombian military have long been considered as among the world’s most sought-after mercenaries due to their extensive battlefield experience gleaned from years of internal conflict, knowledge of advanced weaponry, and superior tactical education.

Role in the Conflict

In Sudan, the Colombians have been accused of teaching minors, provided drone warfare training, and participated in direct battles. An individual involved previously stated that working with child soldiers was "horrific and irrational" but added that "regrettably, war operates that way".

Named Entities

Among those targeted was a retired Colombian officer, a individual with dual citizenship and ex-soldier operating from the UAE. The government accused him a pivotal function in enlisting and transporting mercenaries to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was also sanctioned.

Also on the sanctions list was Duque Botero, a individual with Colombian and Spanish citizenship who the Treasury stated oversaw a company accused of managing finances and payments for the network. "In 2024 and 2025, companies in the United States associated with Duque carried out multiple financial transactions, worth millions," the government release stated.

Citizen of Colombia Mónica Muñoz was the final person to be sanctioned, with the firm she operated alleged to have wire transfers linked to Duque and his businesses.

"Washington reiterates its demand for outside forces to stop giving financial and military support to the combatants," the department stated.

Analyst Commentary

An expert, senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, described the measures as a "major" development, saying that "targeting the enablers is the right way to go".

It was also noted that, Colombia has enacted a law endorsing the global treaty against mercenarism, designed to limit decades of Colombian involvement in international fights and reshape national security policy.

Sean McFate, an expert on mercenaries, advised additional measures, noting that "sanctions are necessary but insufficient for combating the growing mercenary trade".

"It operates in the black market and based out of the Emirates, which is largely insulated from sanctions," he stated. The UAE has been frequently alleged of arming the RSF, an accusation it has denied. "Expect more Colombian mercenaries," he advised.