Network of former Colombian soldiers accused of fighting for brutal militia in Sudan's civil war
The Treasury Department announced new sanctions against the people and companies believed to have set up the link between the Sudanese fighters and ex-military men from Colombia.
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Treasury Department on Tuesday announced economic sanctions against four people and four companies tied to a foreign military recruitment scheme based in Latin America that has allegedly helped fuel Sudan’s ongoing civil war.
According to U.S. officials, the network recruits ex-Colombian soldiers and sends them to fight for Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group accused of widespread atrocities in the African country. The conflict in Sudan began in 2023 and has become one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises. Treasury officials say the paramilitary network has drawn hundreds of experienced fighters from Colombia, and has also funneled money to help train soldiers inside Sudan, including children.
The move on Tuesday aims to cut off those involved with this operation from accessing the American financial system. Assets belonging to the sanctioned people and entities that touch U.S. banks will be frozen.
Since the war began in Sudan, the RSF group and its allies have been accused of systematically killing civilians, carrying out mass sexual violence, and blocking access to humanitarian aid. The violence has been especially severe in Darfur.
In an announcement on Tuesday, U.S. officials also said RSF forces, supported by foreign fighters like the ex-Colombian soldiers, captured El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur. Following the capture, the group carried out mass killings, ethnically targeted torture, and sexual violence. In January 2025, the U.S. State Department determined that members of the RSF committed genocide.
U.S. authorities say the Colombian fighters involved in this campaign of terror have reportedly served as infantry, artillery operators, drone pilots, vehicle operators, and instructors, and took part in battles in Khartoum, Omdurman, Kordofan, and El Fasher.
Officials said the recruitment effort was coordinated by a retired Colombian military officer operating through a network of companies and associates that specializes in hiring fighters and moving money. A Colombia-based employment agency was allegedly used to attract soldiers, while a Panama-based staffing firm is said to have helped sign contracts and receive funds, obscuring the connection between the recruiters and the group operating in Sudan.