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The United States has enforced penalties on a network of several persons and entities alleged of enlisting former Colombian soldiers to fight for and train a armed faction in Sudan which the US alleges of acts of genocide.

Network Composition

Revealing the sanctions on Tuesday, the American treasury stated the operation was largely composed of Colombian nationals and companies.

Scores of retired Colombian troops have been recruited to go to the Sudanese warzone to fight alongside the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a force implicated in terrible atrocities encompassing targeted ethnic killings and large-scale abductions.

Emergence of Involvement

The role of these mercenaries initially emerged the previous year, following an inquiry which revealed that over three hundred retired troops had been recruited to fight – an discovery that resulted in an rare mea culpa 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 gleaned from decades of civil war, training on advanced weaponry, and high-level combat training.

Activities in Sudan

In the conflict, the contractors have allegedly instructed minors, instructed militiamen in drone operation, and fought directly on the frontlines. One source previously stated that training children was "terrible and insane" but added that "regrettably, war operates that way".

Targeted Persons

Among those targeted was Álvaro Andrés Quijano Becerra, a citizen of both Colombia and Italy and former army officer operating from the Dubai. The government accused him a pivotal function in enlisting and transporting former Colombian soldiers to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was similarly targeted.

Also on the sanctions list was Mateo Duque Botero, a dual national who officials alleged oversaw a company implicated in processing money and salaries for the recruitment operation. "In 2024 and 2025, US-based firms linked to Duque carried out multiple financial transactions, amounting to millions," the Treasury statement said.

Citizen of Colombia Mónica Muñoz was the fourth individual to be penalized, with the firm she operated alleged to have financial transactions associated with Duque and his businesses.

"The United States again calls on external actors to cease providing monetary and weaponry aid to the belligerents," the agency said in a statement.

Reaction

A senior analyst, with the International Crisis Group, labeled the measures as a "highly important" step, noting that "targeting the enablers is the right way to go".

She added that, Colombia recently passed a statute approving the International Convention Against the Recruitment and Use of Mercenaries, aiming to curb decades of Colombian involvement in overseas wars and transform national security policy.

Sean McFate, a authority on private military contractors, urged more caution, saying that "sanctions are necessary but insufficient for addressing widespread use of contractors".

"This is a shadow economy and centered in the UAE, which is difficult to penalize," he stated. The United Arab Emirates has been frequently alleged of supplying weapons to the paramilitary group, an accusation it has denied. "More contractors from Colombia are likely," he advised.