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The United States has levied restrictions on a network of four individuals and four companies alleged of enlisting South American contractors to combat alongside and instruct a Sudanese paramilitary group which the US alleges of acts of genocide.

Operation Structure

Revealing the measures on Tuesday, the American treasury stated the scheme was mostly comprised of individuals and businesses from Colombia.

Numerous of former Colombian military personnel have allegedly journeyed to Sudan to combat beside the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a force implicated in severe violations encompassing ethnically targeted slaughter and large-scale abductions.

Revelation of Role

The role of these mercenaries first came to light in 2024, following an report which found that more than 300 former soldiers had been recruited to participate in the war – an revelation that led to an unusual statement of regret from officials in Bogotá.

Colombian ex-soldiers have widely regarded as some of the most in-demand contractors globally due to their considerable warzone knowledge acquired during decades of civil war, training on Western military gear, and elite military instruction.

Activities in Sudan

In the conflict, the contractors have reportedly trained child soldiers, 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 "regrettably, war operates that way".

Sanctioned Individuals

Among those penalized was a retired Colombian officer, a dual Colombian-Italian national and former army officer based in the United Arab Emirates. The Treasury accused him a key part in enlisting and transporting mercenaries to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was also sanctioned.

Also on the sanctions list was Mateo Andrés Duque Botero, a individual with Colombian and Spanish citizenship who the Treasury stated managed a business accused of processing money and salaries for the recruitment operation. "In 2024 and 2025, US-based firms associated with Duque engaged in numerous wire transfers, amounting to millions," the Treasury statement said.

Citizen of Colombia Mónica Muñoz was the fourth individual to be targeted, with the company she managed alleged to have financial transactions associated with Duque and his businesses.

"The United States again calls on external actors to halt the flow of funding and arms to the belligerents," the department said in a statement.

Reaction

An expert, with the International Crisis Group, labeled the sanctions as a "highly important" development, saying that "calling out those who are doing the contracting is the proper strategy".

She added that, Colombia recently passed a statute endorsing the anti-mercenary convention, aiming to curb years of participation by its nationals in overseas wars and transform national security policy.

A mercenary specialist, a authority on private military contractors, advised additional measures, stating that "penalties are required yet incomplete for dealing with rampant mercenarism".

"It operates in the black market and centered in the UAE, which is difficult to penalize," he commented. The UAE has been widely accused of arming the RSF, allegations it disputes. "This trend will probably continue," he advised.