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The United States has levied restrictions on a operation of four people and four firms accused of recruiting South American contractors to combat alongside and instruct a militia force in Sudan which the US alleges of committing genocide.

Operation Structure

Revealing the sanctions on this week, the Treasury stated the network was mostly comprised of Colombian nationals and companies.

Scores of former Colombian military personnel have reportedly travelled to the conflict in Sudan to combat beside the Sudanese RSF militia, a force implicated in terrible atrocities encompassing targeted ethnic killings and widespread kidnappings.

Revelation of Role

The participation of ex-soldiers initially emerged in 2024, after an report which found that more than 300 former soldiers had been contracted to fight – an revelation that resulted in an unusual statement of regret from the Colombian government.

Colombian ex-soldiers have widely regarded as among the world’s most sought-after mercenaries due to their extensive battlefield experience resulting from years of internal conflict, knowledge of Nato equipment, and high-level combat training.

Activities in Sudan

In Sudan, the contractors have reportedly trained underage fighters, taught fighters to pilot drones, and participated in direct battles. A mercenary previously stated that working with child soldiers was "terrible and insane" but noted that "unfortunately that’s how war is".

Named Entities

Among those sanctioned was a retired Colombian officer, a citizen of both Colombia and Italy and retired Colombian military officer located in the UAE. The government alleged he played a central role in recruiting and deploying mercenaries to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Oliveros, was similarly targeted.

Also on the penalty list was Mateo Duque Botero, a dual Colombian-Spanish citizen who the Treasury stated oversaw a company accused of processing money and salaries for the recruitment operation. "Recently, American entities connected to Duque conducted multiple financial transactions, totalling millions of US dollars," the Treasury statement said.

Citizen of Colombia Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the fourth individual to be targeted, with the company she managed accused of money transfers linked to Duque and his companies.

"The US once more urges external actors to stop giving financial and military support to the warring parties," the agency stated.

Expert Analysis

A senior analyst, from a conflict think tank, labeled the measures as a "major" milestone, saying that "targeting the enablers is the right way to go".

It was also noted that, Bogotá ratified a statute ratifying the anti-mercenary convention, aiming to curb years of participation by its nationals in international fights and change national security policy.

A mercenary specialist, a scholar on the subject, urged more caution, noting that "sanctions are necessary but insufficient for addressing the growing mercenary trade".

"It’s an illicit economy and operating from the UAE, which is difficult to penalize," he commented. The Emirati government has been frequently alleged of providing arms to the militia, allegations it disputes. "This trend will probably continue," he advised.