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The United States has enforced penalties on a network of four people and four firms accused of recruiting South American contractors to combat alongside and instruct a Sudanese paramilitary group which the US alleges of committing genocide.

Operation Structure

Disclosing the restrictions on Tuesday, the Treasury stated the operation was largely composed of individuals and businesses from Colombia.

Scores of former Colombian military personnel have been recruited to go to the conflict in Sudan to combat beside the Sudanese RSF militia, a force implicated in terrible atrocities encompassing targeted ethnic killings and widespread kidnappings.

Revelation of Role

The participation of ex-soldiers was first uncovered in 2024, prompted by an investigation which revealed that over three hundred former soldiers had been contracted to participate in the war – an revelation that prompted an unusual statement of regret from officials in Bogotá.

Former Colombian military have long been considered as some of the most in-demand contractors globally due to their considerable warzone knowledge gleaned from a long-running domestic war, training on Western military gear, and elite military instruction.

Activities in Sudan

In the Sudanese theater, the Colombians have reportedly trained minors, provided drone warfare training, and engaged in frontline combat. One source previously stated that instructing minors was "awful and crazy" but noted that "regrettably, war operates that way".

Named Entities

Among those targeted was a dual national, a individual with dual citizenship and former army officer operating from the Dubai. The Treasury said he had a pivotal function in recruiting and deploying former Colombian soldiers to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was similarly targeted.

Also on the penalty list was Duque Botero, a dual Colombian-Spanish citizen who officials alleged ran a firm linked to handling funds and payroll for the network. "In 2024 and 2025, US-based firms associated with Duque engaged in several money transfers, worth millions," the Treasury statement stated.

Citizen of Colombia Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the final person to be sanctioned, with the firm she operated alleged to have money transfers linked to Duque and his operations.

"The United States again calls on foreign parties to halt the flow of funding and arms to the warring parties," the department stated.

Expert Analysis

Elizabeth Dickinson, from a conflict think tank, described the measures as a "very significant" step, stating that "identifying the recruiters is the correct approach".

It was also noted that, Bogotá has enacted a law ratifying the global treaty against mercenarism, designed to limit decades of Colombian involvement in foreign conflicts and change domestic defense strategy.

Sean McFate, an expert on mercenaries, advised additional measures, noting that "restrictions are needed but not enough for combating widespread use of contractors".

"It operates in the black market and based out of the Emirates, which is largely insulated from sanctions," he said. The United Arab Emirates has been repeatedly implicated of providing arms to the militia, allegations it disputes. "More contractors from Colombia are likely," McFate warned.