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The US government has enforced penalties on a network of four individuals and four companies accused of recruiting South American contractors to support and educate a armed faction in Sudan the United States claims of acts of genocide.

Group Makeup

Disclosing the measures on this week, the Treasury stated the network was primarily made up of individuals and businesses from Colombia.

Hundreds of former Colombian military personnel have reportedly travelled to the conflict in Sudan to combat beside the Sudanese RSF militia, a force linked to severe violations such as massacres based on ethnicity and large-scale abductions.

Revelation of Role

The involvement of Colombian fighters first came to light the previous year, after an report which disclosed that over three hundred former soldiers had been contracted to participate in the war – an event that prompted an unprecedented apology from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

Colombian ex-soldiers have long been considered as highly prized fighters in conflict zones due to their considerable warzone knowledge acquired during a long-running domestic war, familiarity with Nato equipment, and elite military instruction.

Reported Actions

In Sudan, the mercenaries have reportedly trained minors, instructed militiamen in drone operation, and participated in direct battles. An individual involved previously stated that working with child soldiers was "horrific and irrational" but commented that "unfortunately that’s how war is".

Sanctioned Individuals

Among those penalized was a retired Colombian officer, a individual with dual citizenship and retired Colombian military officer operating from the United Arab Emirates. The US authorities accused him a pivotal function in enlisting and transporting former Colombian soldiers to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Oliveros, was similarly targeted.

Also on the sanctions list was Mateo Andrés Duque Botero, a dual Colombian-Spanish citizen who the Treasury stated ran a firm accused of handling funds and payroll for the network. "In 2024 and 2025, American entities connected to Duque carried out numerous wire transfers, amounting to millions," the Treasury statement stated.

Individual Mónica Muñoz was the fourth individual to be sanctioned, with the company she managed said to have conducted wire transfers linked to Duque and his businesses.

"The US once more urges external actors to halt the flow of funding and arms to the warring parties," the department said in a statement.

Analyst Commentary

A senior analyst, senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, called the sanctions as a "major" development, saying that "identifying the recruiters is the right way to go".

She added that, Colombia recently passed a piece of legislation endorsing the International Convention Against the Recruitment and Use of Mercenaries, aiming to curb years of participation by its nationals in foreign conflicts and change domestic defense strategy.

A mercenary specialist, a authority on private military contractors, urged more caution, stating that "penalties are required yet incomplete for combating widespread use of contractors".

"It operates in the black market and centered in the Emirates, which is difficult to penalize," he said. The UAE has been repeatedly implicated of arming the RSF, allegations it disputes. "Expect more Colombian mercenaries," the expert cautioned.