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The US government has levied restrictions on a operation of four people and four firms accused of recruiting South American contractors to fight for and train a armed faction in Sudan which the US alleges of acts of genocide.

Operation Structure

Revealing the sanctions on this week, the US Treasury Department stated the operation was mostly comprised of individuals and businesses from Colombia.

Scores of former Colombian military personnel have reportedly travelled to the conflict in Sudan to combat beside the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a faction implicated in horrific war crimes such as massacres based on ethnicity and widespread kidnappings.

Emergence of Involvement

The role of these mercenaries was first uncovered in 2024, prompted by an report which found that over three hundred former soldiers had been contracted to engage in combat – an discovery that led to an unusual statement of regret from officials in Bogotá.

Colombian ex-soldiers have widely regarded as some of the most in-demand contractors globally due to their considerable warzone knowledge resulting from a long-running domestic war, knowledge of advanced weaponry, and high-level combat training.

Activities in Sudan

In the Sudanese theater, the mercenaries have reportedly trained child soldiers, instructed militiamen in drone operation, and participated in direct battles. An individual involved remarked that training children was "horrific and irrational" but added that "regrettably, war operates that way".

Sanctioned Individuals

Among those targeted was a dual national, a citizen of both Colombia and Italy and retired Colombian military officer located in the Dubai. The Treasury alleged he played a central role in recruiting and deploying ex-military personnel to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Oliveros, was penalized as well.

Also on the restricted list was Duque Botero, a dual national who officials alleged ran a firm accused of handling funds and payroll for the scheme. "Over the past two years, companies in the United States associated with Duque carried out numerous wire transfers, totalling millions of US dollars," the government release said.

Colombian national Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the other individual to be sanctioned, with the firm she operated alleged to have financial transactions connected to Duque and his companies.

"The US once more urges outside forces to stop giving monetary and weaponry aid to the belligerents," the Treasury said in a statement.

Expert Analysis

An expert, with the International Crisis Group, called the sanctions as a "major" step, stating that "targeting the enablers is the correct approach".

It was also noted that, the Colombian government has enacted a piece of legislation endorsing the global treaty against mercenarism, designed to limit decades of Colombian involvement in overseas wars and reshape its security approach.

A mercenary specialist, a authority on private military contractors, advised additional measures, noting that "restrictions are needed but not enough for dealing with the growing mercenary trade".

"It’s an illicit economy and centered in the UAE, which is largely insulated from sanctions," he commented. The United Arab Emirates has been frequently alleged of supplying weapons to the paramilitary group, claims it rejects. "More contractors from Colombia are likely," he advised.