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The United States has levied restrictions on a network of four individuals and four companies accused of recruiting South American contractors to fight for and train a Sudanese paramilitary group which the US alleges of committing genocide.

Operation Structure

Announcing the sanctions on this week, the Treasury stated the network was mostly comprised of individuals and businesses from Colombia.

Scores of retired Colombian troops have allegedly journeyed to Sudan to operate with the Sudanese RSF militia, a force linked to horrific war crimes including targeted ethnic killings and large-scale abductions.

Discovery of Participation

The involvement of Colombian fighters was first uncovered the previous year, after an inquiry which disclosed that over three hundred ex-military personnel had been recruited to participate in the war – an revelation that prompted an rare mea culpa from the Colombian government.

Colombian ex-soldiers have long been considered as among the world’s most sought-after mercenaries due to their vast combat experience acquired during years of internal conflict, training on advanced weaponry, and elite military instruction.

Activities in Sudan

In the conflict, the Colombians have reportedly trained child soldiers, provided drone warfare training, and participated in direct battles. One source was quoted as saying that training children was "terrible and insane" but noted that "sadly, that is the nature of conflict".

Named Entities

Among those penalized was a dual national, a individual with dual citizenship and retired Colombian military officer operating from the UAE. The government alleged he played a key part in enlisting and transporting mercenaries to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was similarly targeted.

Also on the penalty list was Mateo Duque Botero, a individual with Colombian and Spanish citizenship who authorities say ran a firm accused of managing finances and payments for the recruitment operation. "In 2024 and 2025, American entities linked to Duque carried out several money transfers, amounting to millions," the Treasury statement noted.

Colombian national Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the other individual to be penalized, with the company she managed said to have conducted money transfers linked to Duque and his businesses.

"Washington reiterates its demand for external actors to halt the flow of financial and military support to the warring parties," the Treasury said in a statement.

Expert Analysis

Elizabeth Dickinson, from a conflict think tank, described the actions as a "highly important" milestone, stating that "calling out those who are doing the contracting is the proper strategy".

It was also noted that, Colombia recently passed a piece of legislation approving the International Convention Against the Recruitment and Use of Mercenaries, designed to limit years of participation by its nationals in overseas wars and reshape domestic defense strategy.

A mercenary specialist, a authority on private military contractors, called for greater wariness, stating that "restrictions are needed but not enough for addressing the growing mercenary trade".

"It operates in the black market and based out of the UAE, which is largely insulated from sanctions," he said. The Emirati government has been frequently alleged of providing arms to the militia, claims it rejects. "More contractors from Colombia are likely," McFate warned.