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The US government has imposed sanctions on a operation of several persons and entities alleged of enlisting Colombian mercenaries to support and educate a Sudanese paramilitary group which the US alleges of acts of genocide.

Network Composition

Disclosing the measures on this week, the Treasury stated the operation was mostly comprised of Colombian citizens and firms.

Hundreds of former Colombian military personnel have reportedly travelled to the Sudanese warzone to combat beside the Sudanese RSF militia, a force accused of horrific war crimes including ethnically targeted slaughter and widespread kidnappings.

Revelation of Role

The role of these mercenaries initially emerged in 2024, prompted by an report which found that more than 300 ex-military personnel had been contracted to fight – an event that resulted in an unusual statement of regret from the Colombian government.

These South American veterans have long been considered as some of the most in-demand contractors globally due to their vast combat experience acquired during years of internal conflict, training on advanced weaponry, and superior tactical education.

Role in the Conflict

In the Sudanese theater, the contractors have allegedly instructed child soldiers, provided drone warfare training, and participated in direct battles. A mercenary remarked that working with child soldiers was "horrific and irrational" but noted that "unfortunately that’s how war is".

Targeted Persons

Among those sanctioned was Álvaro Andrés Quijano Becerra, a dual Colombian-Italian national and retired Colombian military officer located in the Dubai. The Treasury alleged he played a key part in recruiting and deploying mercenaries to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was similarly targeted.

Also on the sanctions list was Mateo Duque Botero, a individual with Colombian and Spanish citizenship who the Treasury stated ran a firm linked to managing finances and payments for the scheme. "Over the past two years, American entities linked to Duque engaged in multiple financial transactions, totalling millions of US dollars," the official announcement noted.

Citizen of Colombia Mónica Muñoz was the other individual to be targeted, with the entity she oversaw said to have conducted wire transfers connected to Duque and his businesses.

"The US once more urges external actors to stop giving funding and arms to the combatants," the agency announced.

Reaction

An expert, from a conflict think tank, labeled the actions as a "very significant" development, noting that "calling out those who are doing the contracting is the proper strategy".

She added that, Colombia has enacted a piece of legislation approving the International Convention Against the Recruitment and Use of Mercenaries, aiming to curb years of participation by its nationals in overseas wars and change national security policy.

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

"This is a shadow economy and based out of the Emirates, which is largely insulated from sanctions," he commented. The Emirati government has been repeatedly implicated of arming the RSF, claims it rejects. "Expect more Colombian mercenaries," he advised.