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The United States has enforced penalties on a network of several persons and entities accused of enlisting South American contractors to combat alongside and instruct a militia force in Sudan the United States claims of acts of genocide.

Group Makeup

Revealing the sanctions on Tuesday, the American treasury stated the scheme was largely composed of Colombian citizens and firms.

Scores of retired Colombian troops have reportedly travelled to the Sudanese warzone to combat beside the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a force linked to horrific war crimes encompassing ethnically targeted slaughter and widespread kidnappings.

Revelation of Role

The involvement of Colombian fighters was first uncovered the previous year, following an investigation which disclosed that hundreds of former soldiers had been contracted to participate in the war – an revelation that resulted in an unusual statement of regret from officials in Bogotá.

These South American veterans have widely regarded as some of the most in-demand contractors globally due to their extensive battlefield experience resulting from a long-running domestic war, knowledge of Western military gear, and high-level combat training.

Role in the Conflict

In Sudan, the mercenaries have been accused of teaching child soldiers, instructed militiamen in drone operation, and fought directly on the frontlines. An individual involved was quoted as saying that training children was "terrible and insane" but commented that "sadly, that is the nature of conflict".

Targeted Persons

Among those sanctioned was a retired Colombian officer, a dual Colombian-Italian national and ex-soldier based in the United Arab Emirates. The Treasury alleged he played a pivotal function in recruiting and deploying former Colombian soldiers to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Oliveros, was similarly targeted.

Also on the sanctions list was Mateo Andrés Duque Botero, a dual national who the Treasury stated managed a business implicated in managing finances and payments for the recruitment operation. "In 2024 and 2025, American entities associated with Duque conducted numerous wire transfers, totalling millions of US dollars," the official announcement stated.

Colombian national Mónica Muñoz was the final person to be sanctioned, with the company she managed said to have conducted financial transactions associated with Duque and his businesses.

"Washington reiterates its demand for external actors to stop giving funding and arms to the belligerents," the Treasury stated.

Expert Analysis

Elizabeth Dickinson, with the International Crisis Group, described the actions as a "very significant" milestone, noting that "calling out those who are doing the contracting is the correct approach".

It was also noted that, Bogotá has enacted a piece of legislation approving the global treaty against mercenarism, seeking to reduce its citizens' long history in foreign conflicts and transform national security policy.

Sean McFate, a authority on private military contractors, called for greater wariness, saying that "restrictions are needed but not enough for addressing rampant mercenarism".

"It’s an illicit economy and operating from Dubai, which is relatively sanction-proof," he said. The Emirati government has been repeatedly implicated of providing arms to the militia, an accusation it has denied. "This trend will probably continue," the expert cautioned.