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The United States has levied restrictions on a network of four individuals and four companies alleged of hiring South American contractors to combat alongside and instruct a armed faction in Sudan that Washington accuses of committing genocide.

Operation Structure

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

Numerous of former Colombian military personnel have been recruited to go to the conflict in Sudan to operate with the RSF paramilitary group, a force implicated in terrible atrocities including targeted ethnic killings and mass abductions.

Emergence of Involvement

The role of these mercenaries initially emerged in 2024, prompted by an investigation which found that over three hundred retired troops had been contracted to fight – an discovery that resulted in an unusual statement of regret from the Colombian government.

Former Colombian military have historically been seen as among the world’s most sought-after mercenaries due to their considerable warzone knowledge gleaned from years of internal conflict, knowledge of Western military gear, and superior tactical education.

Reported Actions

In the Sudanese theater, the mercenaries have reportedly trained child soldiers, taught fighters to pilot drones, and fought directly on the frontlines. An individual involved previously stated that working with child soldiers was "horrific and irrational" but commented that "sadly, that is the nature of conflict".

Named Entities

Among those sanctioned was a retired Colombian officer, a citizen of both Colombia and Italy and ex-soldier based in the United Arab Emirates. The US authorities said he had a key part in recruiting and deploying former Colombian soldiers to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was similarly targeted.

Also on the restricted list was Mateo Andrés Duque Botero, a dual Colombian-Spanish citizen who authorities say ran a firm linked to processing money and salaries for the network. "Recently, American entities linked to Duque carried out numerous wire transfers, totalling millions of US dollars," the government release stated.

Individual Mónica Muñoz was the fourth individual to be targeted, with the company she managed alleged to have financial transactions connected to Duque and his businesses.

"Washington reiterates its demand for external actors to cease providing funding and arms to the warring parties," the agency announced.

Reaction

Elizabeth Dickinson, senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, labeled the sanctions as a "major" milestone, saying that "calling out those who are doing the contracting is the proper strategy".

Furthermore, Bogotá has enacted a law endorsing the anti-mercenary convention, seeking to reduce its citizens' long history in overseas wars and transform its security approach.

Another expert, an expert on mercenaries, called for greater wariness, stating that "restrictions are needed but not enough for dealing with the growing mercenary trade".

"It operates in the black market and based out of the UAE, which is difficult to penalize," he commented. The UAE has been repeatedly implicated of arming the RSF, claims it rejects. "More contractors from Colombia are likely," the expert cautioned.