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The US government has levied restrictions on a group of four people and four firms accused of recruiting South American contractors to support and educate a militia force in Sudan that Washington accuses of acts of genocide.

Network Composition

Announcing the restrictions on Tuesday, the American treasury stated the network was mostly comprised of Colombian citizens and firms.

Numerous of retired Colombian troops have allegedly journeyed to the conflict in Sudan to fight alongside the RSF paramilitary group, a faction accused of severe violations encompassing targeted ethnic killings and mass abductions.

Emergence of Involvement

The participation of ex-soldiers first came to light in 2024, following an investigation which found that more than 300 ex-military personnel had been recruited to engage in combat – an discovery that resulted in an rare mea culpa from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

These South American veterans have historically been seen as highly prized fighters in conflict zones due to their considerable warzone knowledge acquired during decades of civil war, training on advanced weaponry, and superior tactical education.

Reported Actions

In Sudan, the contractors have been accused of teaching child soldiers, taught fighters to pilot drones, and fought directly on the frontlines. One source remarked that training children was "terrible and insane" but added that "regrettably, war operates that way".

Targeted Persons

Among those penalized was a retired Colombian officer, a dual Colombian-Italian national and former army officer located in the United Arab Emirates. The Treasury accused him a key part in enlisting and transporting former Colombian soldiers to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was penalized as well.

Also on the penalty list was Mateo Duque Botero, a dual Colombian-Spanish citizen who authorities say oversaw a company implicated in processing money and salaries for the recruitment operation. "Over the past two years, US-based firms associated with Duque carried out multiple financial transactions, worth millions," the government release noted.

Citizen of Colombia Mónica Muñoz was the fourth individual to be sanctioned, with the entity she oversaw accused of money transfers associated with Duque and his businesses.

"The US once more urges external actors to halt the flow of monetary and weaponry aid to the belligerents," the department said in a statement.

Reaction

Elizabeth Dickinson, senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, labeled the measures as a "very significant" development, noting that "identifying the recruiters is the correct approach".

She added that, the Colombian government ratified a law ratifying the International Convention Against the Recruitment and Use of Mercenaries, designed to limit its citizens' long history in foreign conflicts and change domestic defense strategy.

Sean McFate, an expert on mercenaries, urged more caution, noting that "sanctions are necessary but insufficient for addressing the growing mercenary trade".

"It’s an illicit economy and operating from Dubai, which is relatively sanction-proof," he said. The Emirati government has been repeatedly implicated of arming the RSF, an accusation it has denied. "Expect more Colombian mercenaries," he advised.