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The Washington has enforced penalties on a operation of several persons and entities accused of recruiting South American contractors to combat alongside and instruct a militia force in Sudan which the US alleges of acts of genocide.

Network Composition

Disclosing the restrictions on Tuesday, the Treasury stated the operation was primarily made up of Colombian nationals and companies.

Numerous of former Colombian military personnel have allegedly journeyed to the conflict in Sudan to combat beside the Sudanese RSF militia, a group accused of terrible atrocities such as massacres based on ethnicity and widespread kidnappings.

Revelation of Role

The participation of ex-soldiers first came to light the previous year, following an investigation which found that over three hundred ex-military personnel had been recruited to engage in combat – an event that prompted an unusual statement of regret from the Colombian government.

These South American veterans have long been considered as among the world’s most sought-after mercenaries due to their extensive battlefield experience resulting from years of internal conflict, knowledge of Western military gear, and high-level combat training.

Reported Actions

In the conflict, the mercenaries have been accused of teaching child soldiers, provided drone warfare training, and participated in direct battles. A mercenary remarked that working with child soldiers was "awful and crazy" but noted that "regrettably, war operates that way".

Sanctioned Individuals

Among those sanctioned was a dual national, a dual Colombian-Italian national and former army officer operating from the Dubai. The government said he had a pivotal function in recruiting and deploying ex-military personnel to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was also sanctioned.

Also on the sanctions list was Mateo Andrés Duque Botero, a dual Colombian-Spanish citizen who authorities say oversaw a company linked to processing money and salaries for the scheme. "In 2024 and 2025, American entities associated with Duque carried out several money transfers, worth millions," the government release said.

Colombian national Mónica Muñoz was the other individual to be sanctioned, with the entity she oversaw accused of financial transactions associated with Duque and his companies.

"The US once more urges foreign parties to cease providing financial and military support to the warring parties," the Treasury announced.

Analyst Commentary

An expert, senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, called the measures as a "very significant" development, stating that "calling out those who are doing the contracting is the proper strategy".

Furthermore, Bogotá has enacted a statute endorsing the International Convention Against the Recruitment and Use of Mercenaries, seeking to reduce its citizens' long history in foreign conflicts and change national security policy.

Another expert, a authority on private military contractors, called for greater wariness, noting that "restrictions are needed but not enough for addressing widespread use of contractors".

"It’s an illicit economy and based out of the Emirates, which is largely insulated from sanctions," he said. The Emirati government has been widely accused of supplying weapons to the paramilitary group, claims it rejects. "Expect more Colombian mercenaries," McFate warned.