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The US government has imposed sanctions on a network of four individuals and four companies alleged of hiring South American contractors to fight for and train a armed faction in Sudan which the US alleges of acts of genocide.

Group Makeup

Announcing the sanctions on Tuesday, the American treasury stated the operation was largely composed of individuals and businesses from Colombia.

Hundreds of former Colombian military personnel have been recruited to go to the conflict in Sudan to fight alongside the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a group linked to horrific war crimes including massacres based on ethnicity and mass abductions.

Emergence of Involvement

The involvement of Colombian fighters was first uncovered in 2024, after an investigation which found that hundreds of ex-military personnel had been hired to engage in combat – an revelation that prompted an unprecedented apology from officials in Bogotá.

These South American veterans have widely regarded as some of the most in-demand contractors globally due to their considerable warzone knowledge acquired during a long-running domestic war, knowledge of advanced weaponry, and superior tactical education.

Role in the Conflict

In the conflict, the Colombians have reportedly trained child soldiers, instructed militiamen in drone operation, and participated in direct battles. One source remarked that instructing minors was "horrific and irrational" but commented that "sadly, that is the nature of conflict".

Sanctioned Individuals

Among those targeted was a retired Colombian officer, a dual Colombian-Italian national and retired Colombian military officer operating from the United Arab Emirates. The government said he had a key part in enlisting and transporting former Colombian soldiers to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Oliveros, was similarly targeted.

Also on the sanctions list was Duque Botero, a dual Colombian-Spanish citizen who the Treasury stated ran a firm implicated in managing finances and payments for the network. "In 2024 and 2025, American entities connected to Duque engaged in several money transfers, amounting to millions," the official announcement stated.

Colombian national Mónica Muñoz was the other individual to be targeted, with the company she managed said to have conducted wire transfers associated with Duque and his companies.

"The US once more urges foreign parties to cease providing funding and arms to the warring parties," the agency said in a statement.

Expert Analysis

An expert, senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, called the measures as a "major" milestone, saying that "calling out those who are doing the contracting is the correct approach".

She added that, the Colombian government has enacted a law endorsing the anti-mercenary convention, seeking to reduce its citizens' long history in international fights and reshape its security approach.

A mercenary specialist, a authority on private military contractors, advised additional measures, saying that "restrictions are needed but not enough for dealing with widespread use of contractors".

"It’s an illicit economy and centered in the Emirates, which is difficult to penalize," he stated. The Emirati government has been widely accused of arming the RSF, an accusation it has denied. "More contractors from Colombia are likely," McFate warned.