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The Washington has enforced penalties on a network of several persons and entities alleged of enlisting South American contractors to support and educate a Sudanese paramilitary group which the US alleges of genocidal acts.

Group Makeup

Revealing the restrictions on Tuesday, the American treasury stated the operation was mostly comprised of Colombian nationals and companies.

Scores of retired Colombian troops have allegedly journeyed to Sudan to combat beside the Sudanese RSF militia, a faction linked to horrific war crimes encompassing ethnically targeted slaughter and mass abductions.

Revelation of Role

The role of these mercenaries initially emerged in 2024, following an inquiry which found that more than 300 retired troops had been contracted to fight – an revelation that prompted an unprecedented apology from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

These South American veterans have long been considered as highly prized fighters in conflict zones due to their extensive battlefield experience resulting from a long-running domestic war, familiarity with Nato equipment, and high-level combat training.

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. A mercenary remarked that training children was "horrific and irrational" but commented that "regrettably, war operates that way".

Sanctioned Individuals

Among those penalized was a retired Colombian officer, a individual with dual citizenship and retired Colombian military officer operating from the UAE. The US authorities alleged he played a central role in enlisting and transporting ex-military personnel to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was similarly targeted.

Also on the restricted list was Mateo Andrés Duque Botero, a dual Colombian-Spanish citizen who officials alleged managed a business linked to handling funds and payroll for the scheme. "Over the past two years, US-based firms associated with Duque conducted multiple financial transactions, totalling millions of US dollars," the official announcement noted.

Individual Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the fourth individual to be targeted, with the company she managed said to have conducted wire transfers connected to Duque and his businesses.

"The US once more urges outside forces to halt the flow of financial and military support to the belligerents," the Treasury stated.

Reaction

A senior analyst, from a conflict think tank, called the measures as a "major" step, stating that "calling out those who are doing the contracting is the proper strategy".

Furthermore, the Colombian government recently passed a piece of legislation approving the International Convention Against the Recruitment and Use of Mercenaries, aiming to curb its citizens' long history in overseas wars and transform its security approach.

A mercenary specialist, an expert on mercenaries, urged more caution, stating that "sanctions are necessary but insufficient for combating the growing mercenary trade".

"This is a shadow economy and based out of the UAE, which is largely insulated from sanctions," he stated. The UAE has been frequently alleged of providing arms to the militia, an accusation it has denied. "This trend will probably continue," McFate warned.