United States Enforces Sanctions on Group Accused of Recruiting South American Fighters to the Sudanese Conflict.

The US government has imposed sanctions on a group of four people and four firms alleged of enlisting South American contractors to combat alongside and instruct a Sudanese paramilitary group that Washington accuses of committing genocide.

Network Composition

Disclosing the sanctions on Tuesday, the Treasury stated the operation was primarily made up of Colombian citizens and firms.

Numerous of former Colombian military personnel have been recruited to go to Sudan to combat beside the RSF paramilitary group, a group accused of terrible atrocities including targeted ethnic killings and large-scale abductions.

Emergence of Involvement

The involvement of Colombian fighters was first uncovered the previous year, after an inquiry which found that hundreds of former soldiers had been contracted to participate in the war – an event that prompted an unprecedented apology from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

Colombian ex-soldiers have historically been seen as highly prized fighters in conflict zones due to their extensive battlefield experience acquired during decades of civil war, familiarity with Western military gear, and superior tactical education.

Role in the Conflict

In Sudan, the mercenaries have reportedly trained underage fighters, provided drone warfare training, and participated in direct battles. One source was quoted as saying that working with child soldiers was "awful and crazy" but added that "unfortunately that’s how war is".

Targeted Persons

Among those targeted was a retired Colombian officer, a dual Colombian-Italian national and ex-soldier located in the UAE. The US authorities alleged he played a key part in recruiting and deploying former Colombian soldiers to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was similarly targeted.

Also on the sanctions list was Mateo Duque Botero, a individual with Colombian and Spanish citizenship who authorities say oversaw a company linked to managing finances and payments for the recruitment operation. "In 2024 and 2025, American entities associated with Duque engaged in numerous wire transfers, totalling millions of US dollars," the official announcement stated.

Citizen of Colombia Mónica Muñoz was the final person to be targeted, with the entity she oversaw alleged to have money transfers associated with Duque and his businesses.

"Washington reiterates its demand for foreign parties to halt the flow of monetary and weaponry aid to the warring parties," the Treasury stated.

Analyst Commentary

Elizabeth Dickinson, senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, called the measures as a "highly important" milestone, saying that "targeting the enablers is the correct approach".

Furthermore, the Colombian government ratified a statute ratifying the International Convention Against the Recruitment and Use of Mercenaries, aiming to curb its citizens' long history in foreign conflicts and change national security policy.

A mercenary specialist, a scholar on the subject, advised additional measures, saying that "sanctions are necessary but insufficient for dealing with rampant mercenarism".

"It operates in the black market and based out of the UAE, which is largely insulated from sanctions," he said. The UAE has been frequently alleged of providing arms to the militia, claims it rejects. "This trend will probably continue," the expert cautioned.