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The US government has levied restrictions on a operation of four people and four firms accused of enlisting South American contractors to support and educate a armed faction in Sudan which the US alleges of acts of genocide.

Network Composition

Announcing the measures on Tuesday, the Treasury stated the scheme was primarily made up of Colombian citizens and firms.

Hundreds of former Colombian military personnel have allegedly journeyed to Sudan to combat beside the RSF paramilitary group, a group linked to horrific war crimes such as ethnically targeted slaughter and large-scale abductions.

Revelation of Role

The participation of ex-soldiers was first uncovered in 2024, following an report which found that over three hundred former soldiers had been hired to participate in the war – an discovery that led to an unusual statement of regret from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

Colombian ex-soldiers have widely regarded as highly prized fighters in conflict zones due to their extensive battlefield experience gleaned from a long-running domestic war, familiarity with advanced weaponry, and elite military instruction.

Reported Actions

In the Sudanese theater, the Colombians have been accused of teaching underage fighters, taught fighters to pilot drones, and engaged in frontline combat. An individual involved previously stated that working with child soldiers was "terrible and insane" but added that "regrettably, war operates that way".

Named Entities

Among those penalized was a dual national, a dual Colombian-Italian national and ex-soldier operating from the United Arab Emirates. The US authorities accused him a key part in recruiting and deploying mercenaries to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Oliveros, was also sanctioned.

Also on the restricted list was Mateo Duque Botero, a dual Colombian-Spanish citizen who the Treasury stated managed a business implicated in handling funds and payroll for the recruitment operation. "Recently, companies in the United States linked to Duque engaged in multiple financial transactions, worth millions," the government release said.

Individual Mónica Muñoz was the final person to be targeted, with the company she managed alleged to have wire transfers linked to Duque and his operations.

"Washington reiterates its demand for outside forces to stop giving monetary and weaponry aid to the belligerents," the department stated.

Reaction

An expert, with the International Crisis Group, called the actions as a "major" step, saying that "calling out those who are doing the contracting is the right way to go".

Furthermore, the Colombian government ratified a statute ratifying the global treaty against mercenarism, designed to limit years of participation by its nationals in international fights and change its security approach.

A mercenary specialist, an expert on mercenaries, advised additional measures, noting that "restrictions are needed but not enough for dealing with rampant mercenarism".

"It’s an illicit economy and based out of the UAE, which is relatively sanction-proof," he commented. The Emirati government has been widely accused of arming the RSF, claims it rejects. "This trend will probably continue," the expert cautioned.