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The US government has levied restrictions on a group of four individuals and four companies accused of hiring South American contractors to support and educate a militia force in Sudan that Washington accuses of genocidal acts.

Group Makeup

Disclosing the sanctions on this week, the US Treasury Department stated the operation was primarily made up of Colombian nationals and companies.

Hundreds of ex-soldiers from Colombia have reportedly travelled to Sudan to operate with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a faction linked to severe violations such as massacres based on ethnicity and widespread kidnappings.

Emergence of Involvement

The participation of ex-soldiers was first uncovered in 2024, following an inquiry which disclosed that over three hundred ex-military personnel had been contracted to fight – an revelation that resulted in an unprecedented apology from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

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

Reported Actions

In the Sudanese theater, the contractors have allegedly instructed minors, instructed militiamen in drone operation, and fought directly on the frontlines. A mercenary was quoted as saying that working with child soldiers was "horrific and irrational" but added that "sadly, that is the nature of conflict".

Sanctioned Individuals

Among those targeted was a dual national, a individual with dual citizenship and former army officer located in the United Arab Emirates. The Treasury said he had a central role in recruiting and deploying mercenaries to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Oliveros, was penalized as well.

Also on the restricted list was Duque Botero, a individual with Colombian and Spanish citizenship who the Treasury stated oversaw a company implicated in managing finances and payments for the network. "In 2024 and 2025, US-based firms connected to Duque conducted numerous wire transfers, amounting to millions," the official announcement noted.

Colombian national Mónica Muñoz was the fourth individual to be sanctioned, with the entity she oversaw said to have conducted wire transfers linked to Duque and his operations.

"The United States again calls on outside forces to cease providing financial and military support to the belligerents," the Treasury stated.

Reaction

Elizabeth Dickinson, with the International Crisis Group, described the measures as a "highly important" milestone, saying that "targeting the enablers is the right way to go".

It was also noted that, the Colombian government ratified a piece of legislation endorsing the anti-mercenary convention, seeking to reduce its citizens' long history in foreign conflicts and reshape its security approach.

Sean McFate, a scholar on the subject, called for greater wariness, saying that "restrictions are needed but not enough for combating widespread use of contractors".

"It’s an illicit economy and operating from the Emirates, which is difficult to penalize," he stated. The UAE has been repeatedly implicated of supplying weapons to the paramilitary group, allegations it disputes. "Expect more Colombian mercenaries," the expert cautioned.