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The United States has imposed sanctions on a operation of four people and four firms accused of recruiting South American contractors to support and educate a militia force in Sudan which the US alleges of acts of genocide.

Group Makeup

Revealing the measures on Tuesday, the US Treasury Department stated the scheme was mostly comprised of individuals and businesses from Colombia.

Scores of former Colombian military personnel have been recruited to go to Sudan to operate with the Sudanese RSF militia, a group linked to horrific war crimes including ethnically targeted slaughter and large-scale abductions.

Discovery of Participation

The participation of ex-soldiers was first uncovered last year, following an investigation which disclosed that more than 300 ex-military personnel had been contracted to engage in combat – an discovery that led to 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 gleaned from years of internal conflict, knowledge of Nato equipment, and superior tactical education.

Role in the Conflict

In Sudan, the mercenaries have allegedly instructed minors, provided drone warfare training, and fought directly on the frontlines. One source previously stated that training children was "terrible and insane" but added that "unfortunately that’s how war is".

Named Entities

Among those sanctioned was a retired Colombian officer, a individual with dual citizenship and ex-soldier located in the United Arab Emirates. The government accused him a pivotal function in recruiting and deploying mercenaries to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was penalized as well.

Also on the penalty list was Mateo Andrés Duque Botero, a dual Colombian-Spanish citizen who officials alleged oversaw a company accused of managing finances and payments for the network. "In 2024 and 2025, American entities associated with Duque conducted multiple financial transactions, totalling millions of US dollars," the Treasury statement stated.

Individual Mónica Muñoz was the final person to be sanctioned, with the company she managed alleged to have financial transactions associated with Duque and his companies.

"The United States again calls on external actors to stop giving financial and military support to the belligerents," the department announced.

Reaction

Elizabeth Dickinson, with the International Crisis Group, labeled the sanctions as a "major" milestone, saying that "identifying the recruiters is the proper strategy".

It was also noted that, the Colombian government has enacted a statute approving the global treaty against mercenarism, aiming to curb its citizens' long history in international fights and reshape its security approach.

Sean McFate, a scholar on the subject, advised additional measures, stating that "sanctions are necessary but insufficient for addressing rampant mercenarism".

"This is a shadow economy and based out of the UAE, which is largely insulated from sanctions," he said. The United Arab Emirates has been repeatedly implicated of arming the RSF, allegations it disputes. "Expect more Colombian mercenaries," McFate warned.