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

Group Makeup

Disclosing the restrictions on Tuesday, the Treasury stated the operation was mostly comprised of Colombian nationals and companies.

Hundreds of retired Colombian troops have been recruited to go to Sudan to combat beside the RSF paramilitary group, a faction linked to horrific war crimes encompassing massacres based on ethnicity and widespread kidnappings.

Discovery of Participation

The role of these mercenaries initially emerged in 2024, prompted by an investigation which revealed that more than 300 ex-military personnel had been hired to fight – an discovery that resulted in an unprecedented apology from officials in Bogotá.

These South American veterans have long been considered as some of the most in-demand contractors globally due to their extensive battlefield experience acquired during years of internal conflict, knowledge of Nato equipment, and superior tactical education.

Reported Actions

In the conflict, the Colombians have reportedly trained underage fighters, provided drone warfare training, and engaged in frontline combat. An individual involved remarked that working with child soldiers was "awful and crazy" but commented that "unfortunately that’s how war is".

Targeted Persons

Among those targeted was a retired Colombian officer, a individual with dual citizenship and ex-soldier based in the Dubai. The US authorities accused him a pivotal function in recruiting and deploying ex-military personnel to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Oliveros, was penalized as well.

Also on the penalty list was Mateo Duque Botero, a individual with Colombian and Spanish citizenship who the Treasury stated oversaw a company accused of handling funds and payroll for the recruitment operation. "In 2024 and 2025, American entities associated with Duque engaged in numerous wire transfers, worth millions," the Treasury statement noted.

Citizen of Colombia Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the fourth individual to be penalized, with the company she managed said to have conducted financial transactions associated with Duque and his businesses.

"The United States again calls on external actors to halt the flow of monetary and weaponry aid to the belligerents," the agency said in a statement.

Reaction

An expert, with the International Crisis Group, described the actions as a "highly important" milestone, saying that "calling out those who are doing the contracting is the proper strategy".

It was also noted that, the Colombian government recently passed a piece of legislation approving the International Convention Against the Recruitment and Use of Mercenaries, seeking to reduce decades of Colombian involvement in foreign conflicts and transform domestic defense strategy.

A mercenary specialist, an expert on mercenaries, called for greater wariness, stating that "restrictions are needed but not enough for addressing rampant mercenarism".

"It’s an illicit economy and operating from Dubai, which is largely insulated from sanctions," he stated. The UAE has been widely accused of providing arms to the militia, an accusation it has denied. "Expect more Colombian mercenaries," he advised.