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The US government has levied restrictions on a operation of several persons and entities alleged of recruiting South American contractors to combat alongside and instruct a armed faction in Sudan which the US alleges of genocidal acts.

Operation Structure

Disclosing the restrictions on Tuesday, the Treasury stated the scheme was primarily made up of Colombian citizens and firms.

Scores of former Colombian military personnel have been recruited to go to Sudan to combat beside the Sudanese RSF militia, a force linked to severe violations such as massacres based on ethnicity and large-scale abductions.

Revelation of Role

The participation of ex-soldiers was first uncovered in 2024, after an report which revealed that over three hundred retired troops had been contracted to engage in combat – an event that prompted an unprecedented apology from officials in Bogotá.

Former Colombian military have long been considered as among the world’s most sought-after mercenaries due to their extensive battlefield experience gleaned from a long-running domestic war, familiarity with Western military gear, and elite military instruction.

Role in the Conflict

In Sudan, the contractors have allegedly instructed minors, provided drone warfare training, and engaged in frontline combat. An individual involved remarked that training children was "terrible and insane" but noted that "unfortunately that’s how war is".

Sanctioned Individuals

Among those targeted was a retired Colombian officer, a citizen of both Colombia and Italy and ex-soldier operating from the UAE. The government accused him a central role in enlisting and transporting former Colombian soldiers to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was also sanctioned.

Also on the penalty list was Mateo Duque Botero, a individual with Colombian and Spanish citizenship who officials alleged managed a business linked to handling funds and payroll for the recruitment operation. "Recently, American entities associated with Duque carried out numerous wire transfers, amounting to millions," the government release stated.

Individual Mónica Muñoz was the other individual to be sanctioned, with the company she managed alleged to have wire transfers connected to Duque and his companies.

"Washington reiterates its demand for outside forces to cease providing funding and arms to the belligerents," the Treasury stated.

Expert Analysis

A senior analyst, senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, described the sanctions as a "major" step, stating that "targeting the enablers is the proper strategy".

It was also noted that, the Colombian government ratified a piece of legislation ratifying the anti-mercenary convention, aiming to curb its citizens' long history in international fights and change national security policy.

Sean McFate, a authority on private military contractors, called for greater wariness, noting that "restrictions are needed but not enough for addressing rampant mercenarism".

"This is a shadow economy and operating from the Emirates, which is relatively sanction-proof," he stated. The UAE has been frequently alleged of supplying weapons to the paramilitary group, an accusation it has denied. "Expect more Colombian mercenaries," the expert cautioned.