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The US government has enforced penalties on a network of several persons and entities alleged of recruiting South American contractors to support and educate a armed faction in Sudan which the US alleges of committing genocide.

Group Makeup

Disclosing the measures on Tuesday, the American treasury stated the network was mostly comprised of individuals and businesses from Colombia.

Scores of former Colombian military personnel have allegedly journeyed to the conflict in Sudan to operate with the RSF paramilitary group, a faction implicated in terrible atrocities including ethnically targeted slaughter and widespread kidnappings.

Emergence of Involvement

The role of these mercenaries initially emerged last year, prompted by an investigation which disclosed that hundreds of ex-military personnel had been contracted to participate in the war – an discovery that prompted an unusual statement of regret from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

These South American veterans have widely regarded as some of the most in-demand contractors globally due to their considerable warzone knowledge gleaned from a long-running domestic war, knowledge of Western military gear, and high-level combat training.

Reported Actions

In Sudan, the Colombians have reportedly trained minors, provided drone warfare training, and fought directly on the frontlines. An individual involved was quoted as saying that training children was "terrible and insane" but added that "unfortunately that’s how war is".

Named Entities

Among those penalized was a retired Colombian officer, a citizen of both Colombia and Italy and retired Colombian military officer located in the United Arab Emirates. The Treasury said he had a central role in enlisting and transporting former Colombian soldiers to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was also sanctioned.

Also on the penalty list was Duque Botero, a individual with Colombian and Spanish citizenship who officials alleged oversaw a company linked to processing money and salaries for the scheme. "In 2024 and 2025, American entities associated with Duque conducted numerous wire transfers, worth millions," the government release stated.

Colombian national Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the final person to be sanctioned, with the entity she oversaw accused of wire transfers connected to Duque and his operations.

"The US once more urges foreign parties to stop giving financial and military support to the warring parties," the agency stated.

Reaction

Elizabeth Dickinson, from a conflict think tank, described the actions as a "highly important" step, stating that "targeting the enablers is the proper strategy".

Furthermore, the Colombian government ratified a law endorsing the anti-mercenary convention, designed to limit years of participation by its nationals in international fights and transform its security approach.

Sean McFate, a scholar on the subject, 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 UAE, which is difficult to penalize," he stated. The Emirati government has been widely accused of providing arms to the militia, allegations it disputes. "Expect more Colombian mercenaries," McFate warned.