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The United States has levied restrictions on a operation of four people and four firms accused of hiring South American contractors to fight for and train a militia force in Sudan the United States claims of acts of genocide.

Group Makeup

Disclosing the sanctions on this week, the Treasury stated the network was primarily made up of Colombian citizens and firms.

Scores of ex-soldiers from Colombia have allegedly journeyed to the conflict in Sudan to fight alongside the Sudanese RSF militia, a force accused of horrific war crimes such as targeted ethnic killings and large-scale abductions.

Emergence of Involvement

The involvement of Colombian fighters first came to light the previous year, after an inquiry which revealed that hundreds of retired troops had been contracted to participate in the war – an event that led to an unprecedented apology from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

Former Colombian military have widely regarded as among the world’s most sought-after mercenaries due to their vast combat experience gleaned from decades of civil war, training on advanced weaponry, and elite military instruction.

Reported Actions

In Sudan, 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 working with child soldiers was "horrific and irrational" but added that "unfortunately that’s how war is".

Targeted Persons

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

Also on the penalty list was Duque Botero, a dual national who the Treasury stated managed a business implicated in managing finances and payments for the network. "In 2024 and 2025, US-based firms associated with Duque conducted several money transfers, worth millions," the government release noted.

Individual Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the other individual to be penalized, with the entity she oversaw said to have conducted financial transactions connected to Duque and his companies.

"Washington reiterates its demand for external actors to halt the flow of financial and military support to the belligerents," the Treasury said in a statement.

Analyst Commentary

Elizabeth Dickinson, with the International Crisis Group, described the actions as a "major" development, stating that "targeting the enablers is the right way to go".

Furthermore, Colombia has enacted a statute approving the global treaty against mercenarism, seeking to reduce its citizens' long history in foreign conflicts and change domestic defense strategy.

A mercenary specialist, an expert on mercenaries, called for greater wariness, saying that "sanctions are necessary but insufficient for dealing with widespread use of contractors".

"This is a shadow economy and operating from the Emirates, which is difficult to penalize," he said. The Emirati government has been repeatedly implicated of providing arms to the militia, an accusation it has denied. "Expect more Colombian mercenaries," McFate warned.