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The Washington has enforced penalties on a group of several persons and entities charged of recruiting Colombian mercenaries to fight for and train a armed faction in Sudan that Washington accuses of genocidal acts.

Group Makeup

Revealing the measures on Tuesday, the US Treasury Department stated the scheme was primarily made up of individuals and businesses from Colombia.

Scores of former Colombian military personnel have reportedly travelled to the conflict in Sudan to fight alongside the RSF paramilitary group, a group accused of severe violations encompassing massacres based on ethnicity and large-scale abductions.

Emergence of Involvement

The participation of ex-soldiers was first uncovered in 2024, prompted by an investigation which found that over three hundred former soldiers had been hired to participate in the war – an discovery that resulted in an unusual statement of regret 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 resulting from decades of civil war, familiarity with Western military gear, and elite military instruction.

Role in the Conflict

In the Sudanese theater, the Colombians have been accused of teaching underage fighters, instructed militiamen in drone operation, and engaged in frontline combat. A mercenary previously stated that working with child soldiers was "horrific and irrational" but commented that "unfortunately that’s how war is".

Targeted Persons

Among those sanctioned was a retired Colombian officer, a citizen of both Colombia and Italy and former army officer operating from the UAE. The government alleged he played a key part in hiring and sending former Colombian soldiers to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Oliveros, was penalized as well.

Also on the penalty list was Duque Botero, a dual national who officials alleged oversaw a company implicated in managing finances and payments for the network. "In 2024 and 2025, American entities associated with Duque conducted numerous wire transfers, totalling millions of US dollars," the official announcement noted.

Citizen of Colombia Mónica Muñoz was the fourth individual to be targeted, with the firm she operated said to have conducted money transfers connected to Duque and his operations.

"Washington reiterates its demand for external actors to halt the flow of monetary and weaponry aid to the belligerents," the Treasury announced.

Analyst Commentary

An expert, with the International Crisis Group, labeled the actions as a "very significant" development, saying that "calling out those who are doing the contracting is the correct approach".

Furthermore, Colombia has enacted a piece of legislation endorsing the anti-mercenary convention, seeking to reduce years of participation by its nationals in foreign conflicts and transform domestic defense strategy.

Another expert, an expert on mercenaries, advised additional measures, stating that "penalties are required yet incomplete for addressing widespread use of contractors".

"It operates in the black market and based out of the UAE, which is difficult to penalize," he stated. The Emirati government has been frequently alleged of supplying weapons to the paramilitary group, allegations it disputes. "More contractors from Colombia are likely," McFate warned.