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The Washington has levied restrictions on a network of four individuals and four companies alleged of recruiting South American contractors to support and educate a armed faction in Sudan the United States claims of genocidal acts.

Network Composition

Revealing the sanctions on this week, the US Treasury Department stated the operation was mostly comprised of individuals and businesses from Colombia.

Scores of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been recruited to go to the Sudanese warzone to fight alongside the RSF paramilitary group, a group implicated in horrific war crimes such as targeted ethnic killings and large-scale abductions.

Revelation of Role

The involvement of Colombian fighters first came to light in 2024, following an inquiry which disclosed that hundreds of retired troops had been hired to fight – an event that led to an rare mea culpa from officials in Bogotá.

These South American veterans have historically been seen as among the world’s most sought-after mercenaries due to their extensive battlefield experience resulting from a long-running domestic war, familiarity with Nato equipment, and high-level combat training.

Role in the Conflict

In Sudan, the contractors have reportedly trained underage fighters, provided drone warfare training, and participated in direct battles. A mercenary was quoted as saying that working with child soldiers was "terrible and insane" but commented that "regrettably, war operates that way".

Named Entities

Among those penalized was a dual national, a citizen of both Colombia and Italy and ex-soldier operating from the Dubai. The US authorities accused him a central role in hiring and sending ex-military personnel to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was similarly targeted.

Also on the restricted list was Mateo Andrés Duque Botero, a dual national who the Treasury stated oversaw a company implicated in processing money and salaries for the scheme. "Over the past two years, US-based firms associated with Duque conducted multiple financial transactions, totalling millions of US dollars," the government release noted.

Individual Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the fourth individual to be targeted, with the company she managed said to have conducted wire transfers linked to Duque and his operations.

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

Reaction

An expert, from a conflict think tank, described the sanctions as a "highly important" step, stating that "identifying the recruiters is the correct approach".

It was also noted that, Colombia has enacted a piece of legislation endorsing the International Convention Against the Recruitment and Use of Mercenaries, seeking to reduce years of participation by its nationals in foreign conflicts and reshape domestic defense strategy.

Sean McFate, an expert on mercenaries, called for greater wariness, saying that "penalties are required yet incomplete for combating rampant mercenarism".

"It’s an illicit economy and based out of the Emirates, which is largely insulated from sanctions," he said. The United Arab Emirates has been repeatedly implicated of arming the RSF, claims it rejects. "This trend will probably continue," he advised.