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The US government has imposed sanctions on a network of four individuals and four companies alleged of recruiting South American contractors to combat alongside and instruct a armed faction in Sudan the United States claims of acts of genocide.

Operation Structure

Disclosing the sanctions on Tuesday, the US Treasury Department stated the network was primarily made up of Colombian nationals and companies.

Hundreds of retired Colombian troops have been recruited to go to Sudan to fight alongside the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a group implicated in severe violations such as targeted ethnic killings and large-scale abductions.

Discovery of Participation

The role of these mercenaries was first uncovered the previous year, prompted by an inquiry which disclosed that hundreds of ex-military personnel had been hired to engage in combat – an event that resulted in an unprecedented apology from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

These South American veterans have historically been seen as highly prized fighters in conflict zones due to their extensive battlefield experience resulting from years of internal conflict, knowledge of advanced weaponry, and high-level combat training.

Reported Actions

In Sudan, the contractors have reportedly trained minors, instructed militiamen in drone operation, and fought directly on the frontlines. One source previously stated that instructing minors was "horrific and irrational" but commented that "regrettably, war operates that way".

Targeted Persons

Among those sanctioned was a retired Colombian officer, a citizen of both Colombia and Italy and retired Colombian military officer operating from the Dubai. The government accused him a key part in enlisting and transporting mercenaries to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Oliveros, was similarly targeted.

Also on the restricted list was Mateo Duque Botero, a individual with Colombian and Spanish citizenship who the Treasury stated oversaw a company implicated in processing money and salaries for the recruitment operation. "In 2024 and 2025, US-based firms connected to Duque engaged in numerous wire transfers, amounting to millions," the Treasury statement stated.

Individual Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the final person to be penalized, with the company she managed said to have conducted financial transactions connected to Duque and his businesses.

"Washington reiterates its demand for outside forces to cease providing financial and military support to the belligerents," the department announced.

Reaction

A senior analyst, with the International Crisis Group, called the sanctions as a "highly important" development, stating that "calling out those who are doing the contracting is the proper strategy".

She added that, Bogotá ratified a law approving the global treaty against mercenarism, seeking to reduce its citizens' long history in international fights and transform its security approach.

Sean McFate, a scholar on the subject, urged more caution, saying that "sanctions are necessary but insufficient for combating widespread use of contractors".

"It’s an illicit economy and based out of Dubai, which is relatively sanction-proof," he commented. The Emirati government has been frequently alleged of arming the RSF, allegations it disputes. "This trend will probably continue," he advised.