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The US government has levied restrictions on a network of four people and four firms alleged of enlisting South American contractors to fight for and train a militia force in Sudan which the US alleges of acts of genocide.

Operation Structure

Announcing the measures on Tuesday, the American treasury stated the operation was largely composed of Colombian nationals and companies.

Scores of retired Colombian troops have been recruited to go to the conflict in Sudan to combat beside the Sudanese RSF militia, a force accused of severe violations such as massacres based on ethnicity and large-scale abductions.

Revelation of Role

The role of these mercenaries first came to light in 2024, prompted by an inquiry which found that more than 300 retired troops had been contracted to engage in combat – an revelation that led to an unprecedented apology 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 decades of civil war, training on Nato equipment, and high-level combat training.

Reported Actions

In the conflict, the mercenaries have allegedly instructed child soldiers, taught fighters to pilot drones, and engaged in frontline combat. A mercenary was quoted as saying that working with child soldiers was "terrible and insane" but added that "sadly, that is the nature of conflict".

Named Entities

Among those penalized was a dual national, a citizen of both Colombia and Italy and ex-soldier located in the United Arab Emirates. The US authorities alleged he played a key part in recruiting and deploying mercenaries to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was also sanctioned.

Also on the penalty list was Duque Botero, a dual national who officials alleged managed a business linked to processing money and salaries for the network. "Recently, American entities associated with Duque engaged in several money transfers, totalling millions of US dollars," the official announcement noted.

Colombian national Mónica Muñoz was the other individual to be sanctioned, with the company she managed said to have conducted wire transfers associated with Duque and his companies.

"Washington reiterates its demand for foreign parties to halt the flow of monetary and weaponry aid to the belligerents," the department said in a statement.

Reaction

An expert, senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, labeled the actions as a "major" step, noting that "calling out those who are doing the contracting is the right way to go".

She added that, the Colombian government recently passed a law approving the global treaty against mercenarism, seeking to reduce decades of Colombian involvement in foreign conflicts and reshape domestic defense strategy.

A mercenary specialist, a authority on private military contractors, called for greater wariness, stating that "sanctions are necessary but insufficient for addressing the growing mercenary trade".

"This is a shadow economy and based out of the UAE, which is largely insulated from sanctions," he commented. The Emirati government has been widely accused of arming the RSF, an accusation it has denied. "More contractors from Colombia are likely," he advised.