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The United States has imposed sanctions on a group of four individuals and four companies charged of enlisting South American contractors to fight for and train a armed faction in Sudan that Washington accuses of committing genocide.

Network Composition

Disclosing the measures on Tuesday, the Treasury stated the operation was primarily made up of Colombian nationals and companies.

Numerous of ex-soldiers from Colombia have reportedly travelled to the Sudanese warzone to fight alongside the Sudanese RSF militia, a force linked to severe violations including massacres based on ethnicity and widespread kidnappings.

Discovery of Participation

The involvement of Colombian fighters initially emerged the previous year, prompted by an inquiry which disclosed that hundreds of ex-military personnel had been hired to engage in combat – an discovery that resulted in an unprecedented apology from the Colombian government.

These South American veterans have widely regarded as some of the most in-demand contractors globally due to their considerable warzone knowledge acquired during a long-running domestic war, knowledge of Western military gear, and high-level combat training.

Activities in Sudan

In the Sudanese theater, the contractors have reportedly trained underage fighters, provided drone warfare training, and participated in direct battles. One source remarked that working with child soldiers was "horrific and irrational" but commented that "unfortunately that’s how war is".

Targeted Persons

Among those penalized was a retired Colombian officer, a citizen of both Colombia and Italy and former army officer located in the UAE. The Treasury accused him a key part in enlisting and transporting mercenaries to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was similarly targeted.

Also on the penalty list was Mateo Duque Botero, a dual Colombian-Spanish citizen who the Treasury stated ran a firm linked to processing money and salaries for the network. "In 2024 and 2025, American entities connected to Duque conducted numerous wire transfers, totalling millions of US dollars," the government release said.

Individual Mónica Muñoz was the final person to be targeted, with the firm she operated alleged to have wire transfers associated with Duque and his operations.

"Washington reiterates its demand for foreign parties to cease providing financial and military support to the warring parties," the department said in a statement.

Analyst Commentary

An expert, from a conflict think tank, labeled the measures as a "very significant" milestone, stating that "targeting the enablers is the correct approach".

She added that, Bogotá has enacted a piece of legislation endorsing the anti-mercenary convention, seeking to reduce years of participation by its nationals in international fights and change its security approach.

Another expert, an expert on mercenaries, urged more caution, noting that "sanctions are necessary but insufficient for combating widespread use of contractors".

"This is a shadow economy and based out of Dubai, which is largely insulated from sanctions," he stated. The United Arab Emirates has been widely accused of providing arms to the militia, allegations it disputes. "More contractors from Colombia are likely," the expert cautioned.