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The Washington has enforced penalties on a group of several persons and entities alleged of enlisting former Colombian soldiers to fight for and train a militia force in Sudan that Washington accuses of acts of genocide.

Operation Structure

Announcing the restrictions on this week, the American treasury stated the scheme was mostly comprised of Colombian citizens and firms.

Hundreds of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been recruited to go to the Sudanese warzone to operate with the RSF paramilitary group, a force linked to severe violations encompassing massacres based on ethnicity and widespread kidnappings.

Emergence of Involvement

The participation of ex-soldiers initially emerged in 2024, after an inquiry which revealed that hundreds of retired troops had been hired to fight – an revelation that prompted an unprecedented apology from the Colombian government.

These South American veterans have long been considered as among the world’s most sought-after mercenaries due to their considerable warzone knowledge acquired during a long-running domestic war, knowledge of advanced weaponry, and elite military instruction.

Activities in Sudan

In Sudan, the contractors have been accused of teaching underage fighters, provided drone warfare training, and fought directly on the frontlines. A mercenary was quoted as saying that training children was "horrific and irrational" but added that "unfortunately that’s how war is".

Targeted Persons

Among those penalized was a retired Colombian officer, a dual Colombian-Italian national and retired Colombian military officer operating from the UAE. The government alleged he played a key part in hiring and sending ex-military personnel to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was also sanctioned.

Also on the sanctions list was Duque Botero, a dual Colombian-Spanish citizen who officials alleged oversaw a company linked to managing finances and payments for the network. "In 2024 and 2025, companies in the United States linked to Duque carried out several money transfers, amounting to millions," the Treasury statement stated.

Citizen of Colombia Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the final person to be penalized, with the company she managed alleged to have money transfers associated with Duque and his businesses.

"The US once more urges outside forces to halt the flow of financial and military support to the belligerents," the department said in a statement.

Analyst Commentary

Elizabeth Dickinson, from a conflict think tank, labeled the sanctions as a "very significant" development, noting that "identifying the recruiters is the right way to go".

She added that, Colombia has enacted a statute approving the anti-mercenary convention, seeking to reduce years of participation by its nationals in overseas wars and transform domestic defense strategy.

A mercenary specialist, an expert on mercenaries, called for greater wariness, noting that "penalties are required yet incomplete for combating the growing mercenary trade".

"It operates in the black market and based out of Dubai, which is difficult to penalize," he stated. The Emirati government has been repeatedly implicated of arming the RSF, an accusation it has denied. "More contractors from Colombia are likely," he advised.