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The Washington has levied restrictions on a operation of four people and four firms charged of enlisting South American contractors to combat alongside and instruct a Sudanese paramilitary group that Washington accuses of genocidal acts.

Operation Structure

Revealing the sanctions on Tuesday, the Treasury stated the scheme was largely composed of Colombian citizens and firms.

Scores of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been recruited to go to Sudan to fight alongside the RSF paramilitary group, a group implicated in horrific war crimes encompassing targeted ethnic killings and mass abductions.

Discovery of Participation

The role of these mercenaries first came to light last year, after an report which found that hundreds of former soldiers had been hired to participate in the war – an event that led to an unusual statement of regret from the Colombian government.

These South American veterans have long been considered as highly prized fighters in conflict zones due to their considerable warzone knowledge resulting from a long-running domestic war, knowledge of advanced weaponry, and high-level combat training.

Activities in Sudan

In the conflict, the Colombians have reportedly trained child soldiers, instructed militiamen in drone operation, and engaged in frontline combat. A mercenary was quoted as saying that instructing minors was "horrific and irrational" but noted that "regrettably, war operates that way".

Sanctioned Individuals

Among those penalized was a dual national, a dual Colombian-Italian national and ex-soldier located in the UAE. The US authorities alleged he played a key part in recruiting and deploying former Colombian soldiers to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was penalized as well.

Also on the penalty list was Mateo Andrés Duque Botero, a dual national who the Treasury stated managed a business linked to managing finances and payments for the network. "In 2024 and 2025, companies in the United States connected to Duque carried out multiple financial transactions, amounting to millions," the Treasury statement said.

Individual Mónica Muñoz was the fourth individual to be targeted, with the company she managed accused of financial transactions associated with Duque and his businesses.

"Washington reiterates its demand for external actors to stop giving financial and military support to the warring parties," the department said in a statement.

Reaction

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

It was also noted that, Bogotá ratified a statute ratifying the global treaty against mercenarism, aiming to curb years of participation by its nationals in foreign conflicts and change national security policy.

Sean McFate, a scholar on the subject, advised additional measures, saying that "sanctions are necessary but insufficient for combating rampant mercenarism".

"It’s an illicit economy and operating from the UAE, which is relatively sanction-proof," he commented. The UAE has been frequently alleged of supplying weapons to the paramilitary group, an accusation it has denied. "More contractors from Colombia are likely," he advised.