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The Washington has imposed sanctions on a group of four individuals and four companies alleged of hiring South American contractors to fight for and train a armed faction in Sudan that Washington accuses of genocidal acts.

Operation Structure

Revealing the measures on Tuesday, the US Treasury Department stated the network was largely composed of Colombian citizens and firms.

Hundreds of retired Colombian troops have allegedly journeyed to the Sudanese warzone to combat beside the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a force linked to horrific war crimes such as massacres based on ethnicity and widespread kidnappings.

Discovery of Participation

The participation of ex-soldiers first came to light in 2024, following an report which revealed that more than 300 retired troops had been contracted to engage in combat – an event that prompted an unprecedented apology from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

These South American veterans have widely regarded as some of the most in-demand contractors globally due to their extensive battlefield experience gleaned from a long-running domestic war, knowledge of advanced weaponry, and elite military instruction.

Reported Actions

In Sudan, the contractors have allegedly instructed minors, instructed militiamen in drone operation, and fought directly on the frontlines. One source remarked that working with child soldiers was "horrific and irrational" but added that "regrettably, war operates that way".

Named Entities

Among those targeted was a dual national, a individual with dual citizenship and former army officer based in the Dubai. The government alleged he played a pivotal function in enlisting and transporting former Colombian soldiers to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was also sanctioned.

Also on the restricted list was Duque Botero, a dual national who the Treasury stated managed a business implicated in managing finances and payments for the scheme. "Over the past two years, companies in the United States connected to Duque engaged in numerous wire transfers, amounting to millions," the Treasury statement stated.

Citizen of Colombia Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the other individual to be penalized, with the company she managed accused of wire transfers linked to Duque and his operations.

"The US once more urges outside forces to cease providing monetary and weaponry aid to the belligerents," the department stated.

Reaction

An expert, with the International Crisis Group, labeled the measures as a "very significant" milestone, noting that "identifying the recruiters is the proper strategy".

Furthermore, Bogotá has enacted a piece of legislation ratifying the International Convention Against the Recruitment and Use of Mercenaries, aiming to curb years of participation by its nationals in foreign conflicts and reshape its security approach.

Sean McFate, a authority on private military contractors, urged more caution, stating that "restrictions are needed but not enough for combating the growing mercenary trade".

"It’s an illicit economy and based out of the UAE, which is relatively sanction-proof," he said. The Emirati government has been widely accused of arming the RSF, allegations it disputes. "More contractors from Colombia are likely," the expert cautioned.