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The US government has enforced penalties on a operation of four people and four firms alleged of recruiting South American contractors to combat alongside and instruct a armed faction in Sudan which the US alleges of acts of genocide.

Operation Structure

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

Scores of retired Colombian troops have allegedly journeyed to the Sudanese warzone to combat beside the Sudanese RSF militia, a group linked to severe violations including targeted ethnic killings and large-scale abductions.

Revelation of Role

The role of these mercenaries was first uncovered last year, prompted by an inquiry which found that more than 300 retired troops had been contracted to fight – an revelation that led to an unusual statement of regret from officials in Bogotá.

Former Colombian military have historically been seen as among the world’s most sought-after mercenaries due to their considerable warzone knowledge resulting from years of internal conflict, training on Nato equipment, and elite military instruction.

Reported Actions

In the Sudanese theater, the mercenaries have been accused of teaching underage fighters, provided drone warfare training, and fought directly on the frontlines. An individual involved was quoted as saying that training children was "terrible and insane" but added that "sadly, that is the nature of conflict".

Named Entities

Among those penalized was a dual national, a individual with dual citizenship and former army officer based in the Dubai. The US authorities alleged he played a key part in recruiting and deploying former Colombian soldiers to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Oliveros, was penalized as well.

Also on the penalty list was Duque Botero, a dual Colombian-Spanish citizen who officials alleged ran a firm implicated in processing money and salaries for the network. "In 2024 and 2025, US-based firms linked to Duque engaged in multiple financial transactions, amounting to millions," the official announcement stated.

Colombian national Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the fourth individual to be penalized, with the company she managed said to have conducted financial transactions linked to Duque and his operations.

"The US once more urges external actors to stop giving funding and arms to the combatants," the department said in a statement.

Expert Analysis

An expert, with the International Crisis Group, labeled the actions as a "highly important" milestone, noting that "identifying the recruiters is the proper strategy".

She added that, Colombia has enacted a law endorsing the global treaty against mercenarism, seeking to reduce decades of Colombian involvement in international fights and transform domestic defense strategy.

A mercenary specialist, a authority on private military contractors, advised additional measures, noting that "restrictions are needed but not enough for combating rampant mercenarism".

"It operates in the black market and centered in the Emirates, which is difficult to penalize," he said. The Emirati government has been widely accused of providing arms to the militia, an accusation it has denied. "This trend will probably continue," McFate warned.