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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 militia force in Sudan which the US alleges of acts of genocide.

Operation Structure

Announcing the measures on this week, the US Treasury Department stated the operation was mostly comprised of individuals and businesses from Colombia.

Numerous of former Colombian military personnel have allegedly journeyed to the conflict in Sudan to combat beside the RSF paramilitary group, a faction linked to terrible atrocities including ethnically targeted slaughter and mass abductions.

Discovery of Participation

The participation of ex-soldiers first came to light last year, following an report which revealed that more than 300 former soldiers had been contracted to participate in the war – an event that prompted an unusual statement of regret from the Colombian government.

Colombian ex-soldiers have long been considered as some of the most in-demand contractors globally due to their extensive battlefield experience gleaned from a long-running domestic war, knowledge of Western military gear, and elite military instruction.

Role in the Conflict

In the Sudanese theater, the contractors have allegedly instructed minors, instructed militiamen in drone operation, and fought directly on the frontlines. One source previously stated that training children was "horrific and irrational" but commented that "regrettably, war operates that way".

Named Entities

Among those penalized was a dual national, a citizen of both Colombia and Italy and former army officer based in the Dubai. The Treasury alleged he played a key part in recruiting and deploying mercenaries to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Oliveros, was similarly targeted.

Also on the penalty list was Mateo Andrés Duque Botero, a dual Colombian-Spanish citizen who the Treasury stated managed a business linked to handling funds and payroll for the scheme. "In 2024 and 2025, American entities connected to Duque carried out multiple financial transactions, amounting to millions," the official announcement stated.

Citizen of Colombia Mónica Muñoz was the fourth individual to be penalized, with the company she managed alleged to have financial transactions connected to Duque and his operations.

"Washington reiterates its demand for outside forces to stop giving financial and military support to the combatants," the Treasury stated.

Reaction

Elizabeth Dickinson, with the International Crisis Group, labeled the actions as a "highly important" step, saying that "calling out those who are doing the contracting is the correct approach".

It was also noted that, the Colombian government ratified a law ratifying the global treaty against mercenarism, designed to limit its citizens' long history in foreign conflicts and reshape its security approach.

Another expert, a scholar on the subject, advised additional measures, saying that "penalties are required yet incomplete for combating widespread use of contractors".

"It operates in the black market and based out of the UAE, which is relatively sanction-proof," he commented. The United Arab Emirates has been repeatedly implicated of arming the RSF, an accusation it has denied. "This trend will probably continue," McFate warned.