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The US government has imposed sanctions on a operation of four people and four firms charged of hiring South American contractors to fight for and train a Sudanese paramilitary group that Washington accuses of genocidal acts.

Operation Structure

Disclosing the restrictions on this week, the American treasury stated the operation was largely composed of Colombian nationals and companies.

Scores of former Colombian military personnel have been recruited to go to the Sudanese warzone to combat beside the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a group implicated in severe violations encompassing massacres based on ethnicity and mass abductions.

Emergence of Involvement

The participation of ex-soldiers initially emerged last year, after an investigation which disclosed that hundreds of former soldiers had been recruited to engage in combat – an discovery that prompted an unprecedented apology from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

These South American veterans have long been considered as among the world’s most sought-after mercenaries due to their extensive battlefield experience gleaned from decades of civil war, familiarity with Nato equipment, and elite military instruction.

Role in the Conflict

In Sudan, the Colombians have been accused of teaching underage fighters, provided drone warfare training, and engaged in frontline combat. One source was quoted as saying that training children was "awful and crazy" but added that "sadly, that is the nature of conflict".

Targeted Persons

Among those targeted was a dual national, a dual Colombian-Italian national and former army officer operating from the UAE. The Treasury accused him a key part in enlisting and transporting ex-military personnel to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was penalized as well.

Also on the penalty list was Mateo Andrés Duque Botero, a dual Colombian-Spanish citizen who the Treasury stated ran a firm linked to processing money and salaries for the recruitment operation. "In 2024 and 2025, companies in the United States connected to Duque engaged in several money transfers, worth millions," the official announcement stated.

Individual Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the other individual to be sanctioned, with the company she managed alleged to have financial transactions linked to Duque and his businesses.

"The United States again calls on external actors to stop giving financial and military support to the warring parties," the agency said in a statement.

Analyst Commentary

A senior analyst, senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, described the sanctions as a "very significant" milestone, stating that "targeting the enablers is the correct approach".

It was also noted that, the Colombian government recently passed a statute ratifying the anti-mercenary convention, seeking to reduce its citizens' long history in overseas wars and reshape domestic defense strategy.

Sean McFate, a scholar on the subject, urged more caution, saying that "restrictions are needed but not enough for addressing rampant mercenarism".

"It’s an illicit economy and based out of Dubai, which is largely insulated from sanctions," he said. The UAE has been widely accused of providing arms to the militia, an accusation it has denied. "More contractors from Colombia are likely," he advised.