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The United States has levied restrictions on a group of several persons and entities accused of recruiting South American contractors to support and educate a armed faction in Sudan which the US alleges of committing genocide.

Group Makeup

Announcing the sanctions on this week, the Treasury stated the scheme was mostly comprised of Colombian nationals and companies.

Scores of ex-soldiers from Colombia have reportedly travelled to the Sudanese warzone to fight alongside the RSF paramilitary group, a faction implicated in horrific war crimes including massacres based on ethnicity and widespread kidnappings.

Emergence of Involvement

The involvement of Colombian fighters initially emerged in 2024, after an report which revealed that more than 300 ex-military personnel had been hired to participate in the war – an revelation that led to an unusual statement of regret from officials in Bogotá.

Colombian ex-soldiers have long been considered as among the world’s most sought-after mercenaries due to their extensive battlefield experience acquired during decades of civil war, training on Nato equipment, and high-level combat training.

Activities in Sudan

In the Sudanese theater, the contractors have allegedly instructed minors, taught fighters to pilot drones, and participated in direct battles. An individual involved remarked that working with child soldiers was "awful and crazy" but added that "unfortunately that’s how war is".

Targeted Persons

Among those sanctioned was a dual national, a citizen of both Colombia and Italy and retired Colombian military officer operating from the Dubai. The government accused him a pivotal function in recruiting and deploying mercenaries to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Oliveros, was penalized as well.

Also on the penalty list was Mateo Duque Botero, a individual with Colombian and Spanish citizenship who authorities say ran a firm implicated in handling funds and payroll for the recruitment operation. "Over the past two years, American entities connected to Duque conducted numerous wire transfers, worth millions," the Treasury statement noted.

Citizen of Colombia Mónica Muñoz was the final person to be sanctioned, with the entity she oversaw said to have conducted wire transfers associated with Duque and his operations.

"Washington reiterates its demand for outside forces to cease providing financial and military support to the warring parties," the agency announced.

Analyst Commentary

An expert, from a conflict think tank, described the actions as a "highly important" milestone, noting that "identifying the recruiters is the correct approach".

It was also noted that, the Colombian government ratified a piece of legislation endorsing the global treaty against mercenarism, designed to limit decades of Colombian involvement in foreign conflicts and reshape domestic defense strategy.

A mercenary specialist, an expert on mercenaries, urged more caution, noting that "restrictions are needed but not enough for addressing widespread use of contractors".

"It’s an illicit economy and based out of the UAE, which is largely insulated from sanctions," he commented. The United Arab Emirates has been widely accused of supplying weapons to the paramilitary group, allegations it disputes. "This trend will probably continue," the expert cautioned.