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The United States has levied restrictions on a network of four people and four firms alleged of recruiting South American contractors to support and educate a Sudanese paramilitary group the United States claims of genocidal acts.

Group Makeup

Revealing the measures on Tuesday, the Treasury stated the scheme was mostly comprised of Colombian nationals and companies.

Scores of former Colombian military personnel have allegedly journeyed to the Sudanese warzone to combat beside the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a group linked to severe violations encompassing targeted ethnic killings and large-scale abductions.

Revelation of Role

The participation of ex-soldiers initially emerged in 2024, after an investigation which disclosed that hundreds of former soldiers had been recruited to engage in combat – an event that prompted an unusual statement of regret from officials in Bogotá.

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

Role in the Conflict

In the conflict, the Colombians have reportedly trained minors, provided drone warfare training, and participated in direct battles. An individual involved previously stated that training children was "horrific and irrational" but added that "regrettably, war operates that way".

Sanctioned Individuals

Among those penalized was a retired Colombian officer, a citizen of both Colombia and Italy and former army officer operating from the United Arab Emirates. The US authorities accused him a key part in hiring and sending former Colombian soldiers to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was also sanctioned.

Also on the sanctions list was Mateo Andrés Duque Botero, a dual Colombian-Spanish citizen who officials alleged ran a firm implicated in managing finances and payments for the recruitment operation. "In 2024 and 2025, companies in the United States associated with Duque conducted multiple financial transactions, totalling millions of US dollars," the government release stated.

Individual Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the other individual to be sanctioned, with the firm she operated said to have conducted financial transactions linked to Duque and his companies.

"The United States again calls on foreign parties to halt the flow of monetary and weaponry aid to the belligerents," the department said in a statement.

Expert Analysis

An expert, senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, called the measures as a "very significant" step, noting that "calling out those who are doing the contracting is the correct approach".

Furthermore, Colombia ratified a piece of legislation ratifying the anti-mercenary convention, aiming to curb its citizens' long history in overseas wars and reshape its security approach.

A mercenary specialist, a scholar on the subject, urged more caution, noting that "sanctions are necessary but insufficient for dealing with widespread use of contractors".

"This is a shadow economy and based out of Dubai, which is largely insulated from sanctions," he said. The United Arab Emirates has been frequently alleged of arming the RSF, claims it rejects. "This trend will probably continue," the expert cautioned.