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The United States has enforced penalties on a operation of four people and four firms accused of hiring South American contractors to combat alongside and instruct a armed faction in Sudan the United States claims of committing genocide.

Operation Structure

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

Scores of ex-soldiers from Colombia have reportedly travelled to the Sudanese warzone to fight alongside the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a group linked to horrific war crimes encompassing targeted ethnic killings and widespread kidnappings.

Discovery of Participation

The participation of ex-soldiers was first uncovered last year, prompted by an investigation which disclosed that more than 300 former soldiers had been recruited to fight – an discovery that prompted an rare mea culpa from the Colombian government.

Former Colombian military have widely regarded as highly prized fighters in conflict zones due to their vast combat experience resulting from decades of civil war, knowledge of Nato equipment, and superior tactical education.

Activities in Sudan

In Sudan, the Colombians have been accused of teaching underage fighters, instructed militiamen in drone operation, and fought directly on the frontlines. An individual involved remarked that working with child soldiers was "awful and crazy" but commented that "regrettably, war operates that way".

Sanctioned Individuals

Among those sanctioned was a retired Colombian officer, a citizen of both Colombia and Italy and former army officer based in the United Arab Emirates. The US authorities said he had a key part in recruiting and deploying ex-military personnel to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was similarly targeted.

Also on the restricted list was Mateo Duque Botero, a dual Colombian-Spanish citizen who authorities say oversaw a company implicated in managing finances and payments for the recruitment operation. "In 2024 and 2025, American entities connected to Duque engaged in several money transfers, worth millions," the official announcement stated.

Individual Mónica Muñoz was the fourth individual to be penalized, with the firm she operated said to have conducted wire transfers connected to Duque and his companies.

"Washington reiterates its demand for external actors to cease providing funding and arms to the belligerents," the agency said in a statement.

Reaction

An expert, with the International Crisis Group, described the measures as a "highly important" development, noting that "calling out those who are doing the contracting is the right way to go".

She added that, Bogotá ratified a law endorsing the anti-mercenary convention, designed to limit years of participation by its nationals in foreign conflicts and reshape its security approach.

Another expert, an expert on mercenaries, urged more caution, noting that "penalties are required yet incomplete for addressing rampant mercenarism".

"This is a shadow economy and centered in Dubai, which is difficult to penalize," he commented. The UAE has been frequently alleged of supplying weapons to the paramilitary group, claims it rejects. "More contractors from Colombia are likely," McFate warned.