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The United States has levied restrictions on a network of several persons and entities alleged of enlisting former Colombian soldiers to combat alongside and instruct a Sudanese paramilitary group which the US alleges of acts of genocide.

Operation Structure

Disclosing the restrictions on this week, the Treasury stated the network was mostly comprised of Colombian citizens and firms.

Hundreds of former Colombian military personnel have allegedly journeyed to the Sudanese warzone to fight alongside the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a force linked to terrible atrocities such as massacres based on ethnicity and mass abductions.

Discovery of Participation

The participation of ex-soldiers was first uncovered the previous year, after an inquiry which disclosed that more than 300 former soldiers had been contracted to engage in combat – an revelation that led to an rare mea culpa from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

Former Colombian military have widely regarded as highly prized fighters in conflict zones due to their extensive battlefield experience gleaned from years of internal conflict, training on advanced weaponry, 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. One source previously stated that training children was "horrific and irrational" but noted that "sadly, that is the nature of conflict".

Sanctioned Individuals

Among those targeted was a dual national, a dual Colombian-Italian national and retired Colombian military officer operating from the Dubai. The government said he had a pivotal function in enlisting and transporting former Colombian soldiers to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Oliveros, was penalized as well.

Also on the penalty list was Mateo Duque Botero, a dual national who the Treasury stated ran a firm implicated in processing money and salaries for the recruitment operation. "In 2024 and 2025, companies in the United States linked to Duque conducted several money transfers, worth millions," the Treasury statement stated.

Individual Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the final person to be sanctioned, with the entity she oversaw 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 combatants," the agency stated.

Expert Analysis

An expert, with the International Crisis Group, described the actions as a "very significant" milestone, stating that "calling out those who are doing the contracting is the proper strategy".

Furthermore, the Colombian government has enacted a piece of legislation ratifying the global treaty against mercenarism, designed to limit decades of Colombian involvement in overseas wars and change its security approach.

Another expert, a authority on private military contractors, advised additional measures, stating that "sanctions are necessary but insufficient for dealing with widespread use of contractors".

"It’s an illicit economy and centered in the UAE, which is largely insulated from sanctions," he said. The Emirati government has been widely accused of providing arms to the militia, allegations it disputes. "Expect more Colombian mercenaries," McFate warned.