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The United States has enforced penalties on a network of four individuals and four companies accused of recruiting South American contractors to fight for and train a militia force in Sudan that Washington accuses of acts of genocide.

Operation Structure

Disclosing the sanctions on Tuesday, the US Treasury Department stated the network was mostly comprised of Colombian citizens and firms.

Hundreds of former Colombian military personnel have reportedly travelled to the conflict in Sudan to operate with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a faction implicated in terrible atrocities such as ethnically targeted slaughter and mass abductions.

Discovery of Participation

The involvement of Colombian fighters first came to light the previous year, following an report which disclosed that hundreds of former soldiers had been recruited to engage in combat – an event that prompted an unprecedented apology from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

These South American veterans have long been considered as some of the most in-demand contractors globally due to their considerable warzone knowledge gleaned from a long-running domestic war, familiarity with advanced weaponry, and elite military instruction.

Reported Actions

In the Sudanese theater, the contractors have been accused of teaching child soldiers, provided drone warfare training, and fought directly on the frontlines. One source previously stated that working with child soldiers was "horrific and irrational" but noted that "unfortunately that’s how war is".

Targeted Persons

Among those targeted was a retired Colombian officer, a citizen of both Colombia and Italy and former army officer based in the Dubai. The government alleged he played a key part in hiring and sending mercenaries to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was similarly targeted.

Also on the sanctions list was Mateo Andrés Duque Botero, a dual Colombian-Spanish citizen who authorities say oversaw a company accused of handling funds and payroll for the recruitment operation. "Recently, American entities associated with Duque conducted several money transfers, amounting to millions," the Treasury statement stated.

Citizen of Colombia Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the final person to be penalized, with the company she managed accused of wire transfers linked to Duque and his operations.

"The United States again calls on outside forces to cease providing monetary and weaponry aid to the warring parties," the agency stated.

Expert Analysis

An expert, with the International Crisis Group, labeled the actions as a "highly important" step, saying that "calling out those who are doing the contracting is the correct approach".

She added that, Bogotá ratified a piece of legislation endorsing the International Convention Against the Recruitment and Use of Mercenaries, designed to limit its citizens' long history in international fights and reshape national security policy.

Sean McFate, an expert on mercenaries, advised additional measures, noting that "restrictions are needed but not enough for combating the growing mercenary trade".

"This is a shadow economy and based out of the Emirates, which is largely insulated from sanctions," he stated. The Emirati government has been repeatedly implicated of supplying weapons to the paramilitary group, allegations it disputes. "This trend will probably continue," McFate warned.