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The US government has imposed sanctions on a group of four people and four firms alleged of hiring South American contractors to combat alongside and instruct a Sudanese paramilitary group the United States claims of acts of genocide.

Operation Structure

Announcing the measures on this week, the American treasury stated the scheme was largely composed of Colombian citizens and firms.

Hundreds of former Colombian military personnel have reportedly travelled to Sudan to fight alongside the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a force accused of severe violations including ethnically targeted slaughter and widespread kidnappings.

Discovery of Participation

The involvement of Colombian fighters initially emerged the previous year, after an investigation which revealed that more than 300 retired troops had been contracted to participate in the war – an event that resulted in an unprecedented apology from officials in Bogotá.

Former Colombian military have long been considered as among the world’s most sought-after mercenaries due to their vast combat experience acquired during a long-running domestic war, familiarity with Nato equipment, and high-level combat training.

Reported Actions

In the Sudanese theater, the mercenaries have been accused of teaching child soldiers, provided drone warfare training, and participated in direct battles. A mercenary was quoted as saying that instructing minors was "awful and crazy" but added that "unfortunately that’s how war is".

Targeted Persons

Among those penalized was a dual national, a individual with dual citizenship and former army officer based in the Dubai. The Treasury accused him a central role in recruiting and deploying former Colombian soldiers to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Oliveros, was penalized as well.

Also on the sanctions list was Mateo Andrés Duque Botero, a dual Colombian-Spanish citizen who the Treasury stated oversaw a company accused of managing finances and payments for the scheme. "In 2024 and 2025, US-based firms linked to Duque engaged in several money transfers, worth millions," the Treasury statement stated.

Individual Mónica Muñoz was the final person to be penalized, with the company she managed alleged to have money transfers linked to Duque and his companies.

"The United States again calls on foreign parties to stop giving financial and military support to the belligerents," the department said in a statement.

Reaction

A senior analyst, from a conflict think tank, labeled the measures as a "very significant" step, stating that "targeting the enablers is the right way to go".

It was also noted that, Colombia recently passed a piece of legislation ratifying the global treaty against mercenarism, aiming to curb decades of Colombian involvement in overseas wars and reshape national security policy.

A mercenary specialist, a scholar on the subject, called for greater wariness, stating that "sanctions are necessary but insufficient for addressing the growing mercenary trade".

"This is a shadow economy and centered in Dubai, which is difficult to penalize," he said. The Emirati government has been widely accused of arming the RSF, claims it rejects. "This trend will probably continue," McFate warned.