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The United States has enforced penalties on a group of four individuals and four companies accused of recruiting South American contractors to support and educate a militia force in Sudan that Washington accuses of acts of genocide.

Network Composition

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

Scores of retired Colombian troops have allegedly journeyed to the conflict in Sudan to combat beside the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a force accused of severe violations including massacres based on ethnicity and large-scale abductions.

Discovery of Participation

The involvement of Colombian fighters first came to light in 2024, following an inquiry which revealed that more than 300 ex-military personnel had been recruited to engage in combat – an event that led to an rare mea culpa from officials in Bogotá.

Colombian ex-soldiers have long been considered as highly prized fighters in conflict zones due to their vast combat experience gleaned from years of internal conflict, familiarity with Nato equipment, and high-level combat training.

Reported Actions

In the Sudanese theater, the Colombians have allegedly instructed minors, instructed militiamen in drone operation, and fought directly on the frontlines. An individual involved was quoted as saying that instructing minors was "terrible and insane" but noted that "sadly, that is the nature of conflict".

Sanctioned Individuals

Among those targeted was a dual national, a individual with dual citizenship and ex-soldier based in the Dubai. The government said he had a pivotal function in hiring and sending former Colombian soldiers to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Oliveros, was also sanctioned.

Also on the penalty list was Mateo Andrés Duque Botero, a dual Colombian-Spanish citizen who the Treasury stated ran a firm implicated in processing money and salaries for the network. "In 2024 and 2025, American entities associated with Duque engaged in numerous wire transfers, amounting to millions," the government release said.

Citizen of Colombia Mónica Muñoz was the fourth individual to be targeted, with the firm she operated accused of wire transfers associated with Duque and his operations.

"Washington reiterates its demand for outside forces to cease providing monetary and weaponry aid to the warring parties," the department stated.

Expert Analysis

An expert, senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, labeled the measures as a "very significant" development, noting that "calling out those who are doing the contracting is the right way to go".

She added that, Bogotá has enacted a statute ratifying the International Convention Against the Recruitment and Use of Mercenaries, seeking to reduce years of participation by its nationals in foreign conflicts and transform national security policy.

A mercenary specialist, a scholar on the subject, called for greater wariness, stating that "restrictions are needed but not enough for addressing widespread use of contractors".

"It operates in the black market and operating from the Emirates, which is largely insulated from sanctions," he commented. The Emirati government has been frequently alleged of supplying weapons to the paramilitary group, an accusation it has denied. "More contractors from Colombia are likely," McFate warned.