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The US government has levied restrictions on a network of several persons and entities charged of enlisting former Colombian soldiers to fight for and train a Sudanese paramilitary group that Washington accuses of genocidal acts.

Network Composition

Disclosing the sanctions on Tuesday, the Treasury stated the scheme was primarily made up of individuals and businesses from Colombia.

Hundreds of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been recruited to go to the conflict in Sudan to operate with the Sudanese RSF militia, a force linked to terrible atrocities such as massacres based on ethnicity and widespread kidnappings.

Revelation of Role

The involvement of Colombian fighters was first uncovered in 2024, following an report which revealed that hundreds of retired troops had been contracted to fight – an discovery that resulted in an unprecedented apology from the Colombian government.

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, familiarity with Western military gear, and elite military instruction.

Reported Actions

In Sudan, the mercenaries have allegedly instructed minors, taught fighters to pilot drones, and fought directly on the frontlines. One source was quoted as saying that training children was "terrible and insane" but commented that "regrettably, war operates that way".

Named Entities

Among those penalized was Álvaro Andrés Quijano Becerra, a citizen of both Colombia and Italy and retired Colombian military officer operating from the UAE. The Treasury said he had a key part in recruiting and deploying former Colombian soldiers to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was similarly targeted.

Also on the restricted list was Mateo Andrés Duque Botero, a individual with Colombian and Spanish citizenship who the Treasury stated managed a business linked to processing money and salaries for the network. "Recently, companies in the United States connected to Duque carried out numerous wire transfers, totalling millions of US dollars," the official announcement stated.

Colombian national Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the final person to be penalized, with the company she managed alleged to have money transfers associated with Duque and his businesses.

"The United States again calls on outside forces to stop giving funding and arms to the belligerents," the agency announced.

Expert Analysis

Elizabeth Dickinson, senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, called the actions as a "very significant" milestone, saying that "targeting the enablers is the right way to go".

Furthermore, Colombia ratified a statute approving the International Convention Against the Recruitment and Use of Mercenaries, seeking to reduce decades of Colombian involvement in international fights and transform national security policy.

Sean McFate, a scholar on the subject, advised additional measures, stating that "penalties are required yet incomplete for combating the growing mercenary trade".

"This is a shadow economy and operating from Dubai, which is relatively sanction-proof," he said. The UAE has been widely accused of providing arms to the militia, allegations it disputes. "More contractors from Colombia are likely," the expert cautioned.