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The US government has enforced penalties on a operation of several persons and entities charged of hiring former Colombian soldiers to support and educate a armed faction in Sudan which the US alleges of acts of genocide.

Network Composition

Announcing the sanctions on this week, the Treasury stated the network was primarily made up of individuals and businesses from Colombia.

Hundreds of former Colombian military personnel have allegedly journeyed to Sudan to fight alongside the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a force accused of severe violations such as massacres based on ethnicity and large-scale abductions.

Revelation of Role

The role of these mercenaries was first uncovered in 2024, prompted by an report which disclosed that over three hundred former soldiers had been contracted to participate in the war – an event that resulted in an unusual statement of regret from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

Colombian ex-soldiers have long been considered as highly prized fighters in conflict zones due to their considerable warzone knowledge resulting from decades of civil war, familiarity with Nato equipment, and superior tactical education.

Role in the Conflict

In the conflict, the contractors have reportedly trained child soldiers, taught fighters to pilot drones, and participated in direct battles. An individual involved was quoted as saying that instructing minors was "terrible and insane" but added that "sadly, that is the nature of conflict".

Sanctioned Individuals

Among those targeted was Álvaro Andrés Quijano Becerra, a citizen of both Colombia and Italy and retired Colombian military officer operating from the UAE. The government alleged he played a pivotal function in recruiting and deploying mercenaries to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was also sanctioned.

Also on the sanctions list was Mateo Duque Botero, a dual Colombian-Spanish citizen who the Treasury stated ran a firm implicated in managing finances and payments for the network. "Over the past two years, American entities connected to Duque engaged in multiple financial transactions, worth millions," the official announcement said.

Individual Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the fourth individual to be targeted, with the entity she oversaw accused of wire transfers connected to Duque and his companies.

"The US once more urges external actors to cease providing financial and military support to the combatants," the Treasury announced.

Reaction

A senior analyst, from a conflict think tank, called the sanctions as a "highly important" milestone, stating that "targeting the enablers is the right way to go".

It was also noted that, the Colombian government recently passed a statute approving the International Convention Against the Recruitment and Use of Mercenaries, seeking to reduce decades of Colombian involvement in international fights and reshape domestic defense strategy.

Another expert, a scholar on the subject, urged more caution, stating that "restrictions are needed but not enough for combating the growing mercenary trade".

"It operates in the black market and centered in the Emirates, which is largely insulated from sanctions," he stated. The United Arab Emirates has been repeatedly implicated of supplying weapons to the paramilitary group, an accusation it has denied. "This trend will probably continue," McFate warned.