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The US government has levied restrictions on a group of four people and four firms accused of hiring former Colombian soldiers to combat alongside and instruct a militia force in Sudan that Washington accuses of acts of genocide.

Network Composition

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

Numerous of ex-soldiers from Colombia have reportedly travelled to the Sudanese warzone to fight alongside the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a faction implicated in horrific war crimes including ethnically targeted slaughter and large-scale abductions.

Discovery of Participation

The involvement of Colombian fighters first came to light last year, after an investigation which disclosed that over three hundred former soldiers had been recruited to participate in the war – an discovery that resulted in an rare mea culpa from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

These South American veterans have widely regarded as highly prized fighters in conflict zones due to their considerable warzone knowledge acquired during a long-running domestic war, knowledge of advanced weaponry, and superior tactical education.

Activities in Sudan

In the Sudanese theater, the Colombians have been accused of teaching underage fighters, provided drone warfare training, and participated in direct battles. An individual involved remarked that instructing minors was "awful and crazy" but commented that "regrettably, war operates that way".

Sanctioned Individuals

Among those penalized was Álvaro Andrés Quijano Becerra, a citizen of both Colombia and Italy and former army officer operating from the UAE. The government alleged he played a pivotal function in enlisting and transporting ex-military personnel to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was similarly targeted.

Also on the penalty list was Mateo Duque Botero, a dual national who authorities say oversaw a company linked to handling funds and payroll for the network. "In 2024 and 2025, American entities connected to Duque conducted multiple financial transactions, totalling millions of US dollars," the official announcement stated.

Individual Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the final person to be targeted, with the entity she oversaw accused of money transfers connected to Duque and his companies.

"The United States again calls on foreign parties to halt the flow of financial and military support to the combatants," the Treasury stated.

Expert Analysis

An expert, with the International Crisis Group, labeled the measures as a "major" development, saying that "calling out those who are doing the contracting is the correct approach".

Furthermore, the Colombian government ratified a statute approving the International Convention Against the Recruitment and Use of Mercenaries, aiming to curb years of participation by its nationals in international fights and reshape its security approach.

Sean McFate, an expert on mercenaries, called for greater wariness, noting that "penalties are required yet incomplete for addressing rampant mercenarism".

"It’s an illicit economy and centered in the UAE, which is difficult to penalize," he commented. The Emirati government has been repeatedly implicated of supplying weapons to the paramilitary group, claims it rejects. "This trend will probably continue," McFate warned.