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The United States has enforced penalties on a operation of four people and four firms accused of recruiting South American contractors to combat alongside and instruct a militia force in Sudan the United States claims of genocidal acts.

Operation Structure

Announcing the restrictions on this week, the Treasury stated the scheme was primarily made up of Colombian citizens and firms.

Scores of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been recruited to go to Sudan to fight alongside the Sudanese RSF militia, a group implicated in severe violations including ethnically targeted slaughter and mass abductions.

Emergence of Involvement

The role of these mercenaries first came to light the previous year, after an investigation which found that hundreds of ex-military personnel had been hired to fight – an event that resulted in an rare mea culpa from officials in Bogotá.

These South American veterans have widely regarded as among the world’s most sought-after mercenaries due to their extensive battlefield experience gleaned from a long-running domestic war, familiarity with Nato equipment, and high-level combat training.

Activities in Sudan

In Sudan, the contractors have reportedly trained child soldiers, instructed militiamen in drone operation, and fought directly on the frontlines. An individual involved previously stated that instructing minors was "horrific and irrational" but added that "sadly, that is the nature of conflict".

Targeted Persons

Among those targeted was Álvaro Andrés Quijano Becerra, a dual Colombian-Italian national and ex-soldier located in the Dubai. The Treasury alleged he played a central role in hiring and sending mercenaries to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was similarly targeted.

Also on the penalty list was Mateo Duque Botero, a dual Colombian-Spanish citizen who authorities say managed a business accused of handling funds and payroll for the scheme. "In 2024 and 2025, US-based firms linked to Duque carried out numerous wire transfers, totalling millions of US dollars," the government release noted.

Citizen of Colombia Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the final person to be sanctioned, with the firm she operated said to have conducted money transfers associated with Duque and his companies.

"Washington reiterates its demand for foreign parties to cease providing monetary and weaponry aid to the belligerents," the department announced.

Reaction

Elizabeth Dickinson, senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, described the actions as a "major" step, stating that "targeting the enablers is the right way to go".

It was also noted that, the Colombian government recently passed a piece of legislation approving the global treaty against mercenarism, aiming to curb its citizens' long history in international fights and reshape domestic defense strategy.

Sean McFate, a scholar on the subject, urged more caution, stating that "penalties are required yet incomplete for dealing with rampant mercenarism".

"It operates in the black market and operating from the UAE, which is relatively sanction-proof," he said. The Emirati government has been frequently alleged of providing arms to the militia, allegations it disputes. "More contractors from Colombia are likely," the expert cautioned.