🔗 Share this article

The US government has levied restrictions on a group of four individuals and four companies charged of enlisting South American contractors to support and educate a armed faction in Sudan the United States claims of genocidal acts.

Operation Structure

Disclosing the restrictions on this week, the American treasury stated the network was mostly comprised of Colombian citizens and firms.

Hundreds of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been recruited to go to the Sudanese warzone to operate with the Sudanese RSF militia, a faction accused of severe violations encompassing targeted ethnic killings and mass abductions.

Discovery of Participation

The participation of ex-soldiers was first uncovered last year, prompted by an inquiry which revealed that more than 300 retired troops had been contracted to participate in the war – an revelation that resulted in an rare mea culpa 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 resulting from years of internal conflict, training on Nato equipment, and superior tactical education.

Role in the Conflict

In Sudan, the mercenaries have allegedly instructed child soldiers, taught fighters to pilot drones, and engaged in frontline combat. An individual involved remarked that working with child soldiers was "horrific and irrational" but added that "regrettably, war operates that way".

Sanctioned Individuals

Among those targeted was a retired Colombian officer, a dual Colombian-Italian national and retired Colombian military officer located in the UAE. The Treasury accused him a key part in hiring and sending mercenaries to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Oliveros, was penalized as well.

Also on the penalty list was Duque Botero, a individual with Colombian and Spanish citizenship who officials alleged ran a firm accused of processing money and salaries for the network. "In 2024 and 2025, American entities associated with Duque carried out several money transfers, amounting to millions," the government release said.

Colombian national Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the fourth individual to be targeted, with the entity she oversaw said to have conducted wire transfers connected to Duque and his companies.

"The US once more urges foreign parties to stop giving financial and military support to the belligerents," the agency said in a statement.

Expert Analysis

An expert, from a conflict think tank, called the sanctions as a "highly important" step, saying that "identifying the recruiters is the proper strategy".

She added that, Colombia recently passed a law endorsing the International Convention Against the Recruitment and Use of Mercenaries, seeking to reduce decades of Colombian involvement in overseas wars and change its security approach.

Sean McFate, an expert on mercenaries, called for greater wariness, noting that "sanctions are necessary but insufficient for combating widespread use of contractors".

"This is a shadow economy and based out of Dubai, which is relatively sanction-proof," he stated. The Emirati government has been repeatedly implicated of supplying weapons to the paramilitary group, allegations it disputes. "More contractors from Colombia are likely," McFate warned.