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The US government has imposed sanctions on a operation of four people and four firms charged of enlisting South American contractors to combat alongside and instruct a armed faction in Sudan which the US alleges of genocidal acts.

Operation Structure

Revealing the measures on this week, the American treasury stated the operation was mostly comprised of individuals and businesses from Colombia.

Numerous of retired Colombian troops have been recruited to go to Sudan to operate with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a force accused of terrible atrocities including ethnically targeted slaughter and widespread kidnappings.

Emergence of Involvement

The involvement of Colombian fighters first came to light last year, after an report which revealed that more than 300 retired troops had been hired to participate in the war – an revelation that resulted in an unprecedented apology from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

Colombian ex-soldiers have historically been seen as highly prized fighters in conflict zones due to their extensive battlefield experience gleaned from a long-running domestic war, familiarity with Western military gear, and high-level combat training.

Reported Actions

In the Sudanese theater, the Colombians have been accused of teaching underage fighters, taught fighters to pilot drones, and fought directly on the frontlines. An individual involved was quoted as saying that working with child soldiers was "terrible and insane" but commented that "unfortunately that’s how war is".

Sanctioned Individuals

Among those targeted was a dual national, a individual with dual citizenship and former army officer located in the Dubai. The Treasury alleged he played a central role in enlisting and transporting former Colombian soldiers to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Oliveros, was similarly targeted.

Also on the restricted list was Mateo Andrés Duque Botero, a individual with Colombian and Spanish citizenship who officials alleged ran a firm implicated in handling funds and payroll for the network. "In 2024 and 2025, US-based firms associated with Duque carried out numerous wire transfers, totalling millions of US dollars," the government release noted.

Citizen of Colombia Mónica Muñoz was the other individual to be penalized, with the company she managed accused of wire transfers associated with Duque and his operations.

"Washington reiterates its demand for foreign parties to halt the flow of funding and arms to the belligerents," the department stated.

Reaction

Elizabeth Dickinson, senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, labeled the measures as a "major" step, noting that "identifying the recruiters is the proper strategy".

Furthermore, the Colombian government ratified a law ratifying the global treaty against mercenarism, designed to limit its citizens' long history in foreign conflicts and reshape its security approach.

Sean McFate, a authority on private military contractors, called for greater wariness, saying that "restrictions are needed but not enough for dealing with widespread use of contractors".

"It’s an illicit economy and based out of the Emirates, which is largely insulated from sanctions," he said. The UAE has been widely accused of supplying weapons to the paramilitary group, an accusation it has denied. "This trend will probably continue," McFate warned.