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The Washington has levied restrictions on a operation of several persons and entities accused of hiring South American contractors to support and educate a Sudanese paramilitary group which the US alleges of committing genocide.

Group Makeup

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

Numerous of ex-soldiers from Colombia have allegedly journeyed to Sudan to fight alongside the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a force implicated in horrific war crimes such as targeted ethnic killings and large-scale abductions.

Emergence of Involvement

The participation of ex-soldiers initially emerged the previous year, following an investigation which revealed that more than 300 former soldiers had been contracted to fight – an revelation that resulted in an unprecedented apology from the Colombian government.

Former Colombian military have long been considered as some of the most in-demand contractors globally due to their considerable warzone knowledge acquired during decades of civil war, knowledge of Nato equipment, and superior tactical education.

Reported Actions

In Sudan, the mercenaries have been accused of teaching child soldiers, instructed militiamen in drone operation, and participated in direct battles. One source remarked that instructing minors was "terrible and insane" but commented that "unfortunately that’s how war is".

Sanctioned Individuals

Among those targeted was a dual national, a citizen of both Colombia and Italy and former army officer located in the UAE. The government alleged he played a pivotal function in enlisting and transporting former Colombian soldiers to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was similarly targeted.

Also on the sanctions list was Mateo Duque Botero, a individual with Colombian and Spanish citizenship who officials alleged oversaw a company implicated in handling funds and payroll for the scheme. "In 2024 and 2025, US-based firms associated with Duque carried out numerous wire transfers, totalling millions of US dollars," the government release noted.

Citizen of Colombia Mónica Muñoz was the fourth individual to be sanctioned, with the company she managed said to have conducted money transfers associated with Duque and his operations.

"The United States again calls on outside forces to cease providing financial and military support to the belligerents," the Treasury announced.

Expert Analysis

An expert, senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, described the measures as a "highly important" step, noting that "targeting the enablers is the proper strategy".

She added that, the Colombian government ratified a piece of legislation ratifying the International Convention Against the Recruitment and Use of Mercenaries, designed to limit its citizens' long history in overseas wars and reshape its security approach.

Another expert, an expert on mercenaries, called for greater wariness, stating that "penalties are required yet incomplete for combating the growing mercenary trade".

"This is a shadow economy and centered in the Emirates, which is relatively sanction-proof," he commented. The Emirati government has been widely accused of providing arms to the militia, claims it rejects. "This trend will probably continue," the expert cautioned.