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The United States has imposed sanctions on a operation of several persons and entities accused of hiring South American contractors to combat alongside and instruct a Sudanese paramilitary group which the US alleges of acts of genocide.

Operation Structure

Revealing the restrictions on this week, the Treasury stated the network was primarily made up of Colombian nationals and companies.

Numerous of ex-soldiers from Colombia have reportedly travelled to the Sudanese warzone to combat beside the Sudanese RSF militia, a force implicated in horrific war crimes such as targeted ethnic killings and widespread kidnappings.

Emergence of Involvement

The involvement of Colombian fighters first came to light last year, after an investigation which revealed that more than 300 retired troops had been hired to participate in the war – an event that prompted an rare mea culpa from the Colombian government.

Former Colombian military have widely regarded as among the world’s most sought-after mercenaries due to their extensive battlefield experience gleaned from a long-running domestic war, knowledge of Nato equipment, and superior tactical education.

Activities in Sudan

In the conflict, the Colombians have allegedly instructed minors, taught fighters to pilot drones, and participated in direct battles. A mercenary was quoted as saying that training children was "horrific and irrational" but noted that "unfortunately that’s how war is".

Named Entities

Among those targeted was a retired Colombian officer, a individual with dual citizenship and retired Colombian military officer based in the UAE. The government alleged he played a pivotal function in enlisting and transporting ex-military personnel to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Oliveros, was also sanctioned.

Also on the sanctions list was Mateo Andrés Duque Botero, a dual Colombian-Spanish citizen who the Treasury stated oversaw a company implicated in managing finances and payments for the scheme. "In 2024 and 2025, companies in the United States linked to Duque conducted several money transfers, worth millions," the government release said.

Citizen of Colombia Mónica Muñoz was the final person to be penalized, with the company she managed alleged to have money transfers connected to Duque and his companies.

"Washington reiterates its demand for external actors to stop giving financial and military support to the combatants," the department announced.

Analyst Commentary

An expert, with the International Crisis Group, labeled the measures as a "major" step, saying that "identifying the recruiters is the right way to go".

Furthermore, the Colombian government ratified a piece of legislation endorsing the anti-mercenary convention, designed to limit its citizens' long history in foreign conflicts and transform its security approach.

Another expert, an expert on mercenaries, urged more caution, saying that "restrictions are needed but not enough for addressing rampant mercenarism".

"It operates in the black market and operating from Dubai, which is largely insulated from sanctions," he stated. The Emirati government has been repeatedly implicated of arming the RSF, claims it rejects. "This trend will probably continue," he advised.