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The US government has imposed sanctions on a operation of four individuals and four companies accused of enlisting South American contractors to support and educate a armed faction in Sudan that Washington accuses of committing genocide.

Network Composition

Announcing the measures on Tuesday, the Treasury stated the scheme was largely composed of individuals and businesses from Colombia.

Hundreds of ex-soldiers from Colombia have allegedly journeyed to Sudan to operate with the Sudanese RSF militia, a force accused of terrible atrocities including targeted ethnic killings and mass abductions.

Discovery of Participation

The role of these mercenaries was first uncovered in 2024, following an report which disclosed that over three hundred former soldiers had been hired to engage in combat – an revelation that led to an rare mea culpa from officials in Bogotá.

These South American veterans have long been considered as highly prized fighters in conflict zones due to their extensive battlefield experience resulting from decades of civil war, familiarity with Western military gear, and superior tactical education.

Activities in Sudan

In the Sudanese theater, the mercenaries have reportedly trained underage fighters, taught fighters to pilot drones, and engaged in frontline combat. A mercenary previously stated that training children was "terrible and insane" but commented that "regrettably, war operates that way".

Named Entities

Among those penalized was a retired Colombian officer, a citizen of both Colombia and Italy and ex-soldier located in the UAE. The US authorities accused him a key part in recruiting and deploying former Colombian soldiers to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Oliveros, was also sanctioned.

Also on the sanctions list was Mateo Duque Botero, a dual national who authorities say ran a firm accused of managing finances and payments for the network. "In 2024 and 2025, US-based firms connected to Duque conducted several money transfers, totalling millions of US dollars," the government release stated.

Individual Mónica Muñoz was the fourth individual to be penalized, with the entity she oversaw accused of financial transactions linked to Duque and his operations.

"Washington reiterates its demand for outside forces to stop giving financial and military support to the belligerents," the department said in a statement.

Reaction

A senior analyst, with the International Crisis Group, called the sanctions as a "very significant" milestone, noting that "calling out those who are doing the contracting is the correct approach".

It was also noted that, Colombia ratified a law endorsing the International Convention Against the Recruitment and Use of Mercenaries, designed to limit years of participation by its nationals in international fights and change national security policy.

A mercenary specialist, an expert on mercenaries, urged more caution, noting that "sanctions are necessary but insufficient for dealing with the growing mercenary trade".

"This is a shadow economy and centered in Dubai, which is relatively sanction-proof," he commented. The Emirati government has been widely accused of supplying weapons to the paramilitary group, claims it rejects. "Expect more Colombian mercenaries," he advised.