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The Washington has levied restrictions on a group of four individuals and four companies alleged of recruiting Colombian mercenaries to support and educate 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 mostly comprised of individuals and businesses from Colombia.

Numerous of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been recruited to go to the conflict in Sudan to combat beside the RSF paramilitary group, a force implicated in severe violations including ethnically targeted slaughter and mass abductions.

Discovery of Participation

The involvement of Colombian fighters was first uncovered in 2024, after an investigation which revealed that over three hundred former soldiers had been hired to engage in combat – an discovery that led to an unusual statement of regret 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 gleaned from decades of civil war, knowledge of Nato equipment, and superior tactical education.

Activities in Sudan

In the Sudanese theater, the Colombians have allegedly instructed underage fighters, taught fighters to pilot drones, and fought directly on the frontlines. A mercenary previously stated that training children was "terrible and insane" but noted that "regrettably, war operates that way".

Sanctioned Individuals

Among those penalized was a retired Colombian officer, a individual with dual citizenship and retired Colombian military officer based in the UAE. The government alleged he played a key part in recruiting and deploying ex-military personnel to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Oliveros, was similarly targeted.

Also on the restricted list was Duque Botero, a dual national who officials alleged ran a firm linked to managing finances and payments for the network. "In 2024 and 2025, US-based firms linked to Duque carried out several money transfers, totalling millions of US dollars," the official announcement stated.

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

"The United States again calls on foreign parties to halt the flow of financial and military support to the belligerents," the agency stated.

Reaction

An expert, with the International Crisis Group, labeled the actions as a "major" development, saying that "targeting the enablers is the correct approach".

She added that, the Colombian government ratified a statute approving the International Convention Against the Recruitment and Use of Mercenaries, seeking to reduce its citizens' long history in overseas wars and change domestic defense strategy.

Another expert, a authority on private military contractors, advised additional measures, saying that "sanctions are necessary but insufficient for addressing the growing mercenary trade".

"It’s an illicit economy and operating from the Emirates, which is difficult to penalize," he commented. The United Arab Emirates has been frequently alleged of providing arms to the militia, claims it rejects. "More contractors from Colombia are likely," he advised.