US Imposes Sanctions on Network Accused of Channeling Colombian Mercenaries to Sudan.

The United States has imposed sanctions on a operation of several persons and entities charged of recruiting Colombian mercenaries to fight for and train a militia force in Sudan that Washington accuses of acts of genocide.

Operation Structure

Revealing the restrictions on this week, the American treasury stated the operation was primarily made up of Colombian nationals and companies.

Scores of former Colombian military personnel have been recruited to go to Sudan to fight alongside the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a faction accused of horrific war crimes encompassing massacres based on ethnicity and mass abductions.

Revelation of Role

The role of these mercenaries was first uncovered in 2024, after an investigation which revealed that hundreds of former soldiers had been recruited to engage in combat – an revelation that led to an unusual statement of regret from the Colombian government.

Former Colombian military have long been considered as highly prized fighters in conflict zones due to their considerable warzone knowledge gleaned from years of internal conflict, familiarity with advanced weaponry, and elite military instruction.

Role in the Conflict

In Sudan, the contractors have been accused of teaching underage fighters, taught fighters to pilot drones, and engaged in frontline combat. One source was quoted as saying that instructing minors 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 Dubai. The government accused him a key part in hiring and sending mercenaries to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was also sanctioned.

Also on the penalty list was Mateo Duque Botero, a individual with Colombian and Spanish citizenship who authorities say ran a firm linked to handling funds and payroll for the network. "In 2024 and 2025, American entities connected to Duque carried out numerous wire transfers, totalling millions of US dollars," the Treasury statement stated.

Colombian national Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the other individual to be targeted, with the company she managed said to have conducted financial transactions linked to Duque and his companies.

"Washington reiterates its demand for foreign parties to stop giving financial and military support to the warring parties," the agency announced.

Reaction

A senior analyst, senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, described the actions as a "major" development, noting that "identifying the recruiters is the proper strategy".

She added that, the Colombian government recently passed a statute approving the International Convention Against the Recruitment and Use of Mercenaries, designed to limit decades of Colombian involvement in international fights and transform domestic defense strategy.

Sean McFate, an expert on mercenaries, called for greater wariness, stating that "penalties are required yet incomplete for dealing with the growing mercenary trade".

"It’s an illicit economy and operating from Dubai, which is largely insulated from sanctions," he said. The UAE has been widely accused of arming the RSF, claims it rejects. "More contractors from Colombia are likely," McFate warned.