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The Washington has levied restrictions on a network of four individuals and four companies charged of recruiting Colombian mercenaries to support and educate a armed faction in Sudan which the US alleges of genocidal acts.

Operation Structure

Revealing the restrictions on this week, the American treasury stated the network was primarily made up of Colombian nationals and companies.

Scores of retired Colombian troops have reportedly travelled to the Sudanese warzone to fight alongside the RSF paramilitary group, a force accused of horrific war crimes including massacres based on ethnicity and mass abductions.

Emergence of Involvement

The participation of ex-soldiers was first uncovered in 2024, prompted by an investigation which revealed that over three hundred former soldiers had been recruited to participate in the war – an discovery that prompted an unusual statement of regret from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

Colombian ex-soldiers have widely regarded as highly prized fighters in conflict zones due to their extensive battlefield experience resulting from a long-running domestic war, familiarity with Western military gear, and superior tactical education.

Role in the Conflict

In the Sudanese theater, the mercenaries have been accused of teaching minors, instructed militiamen in drone operation, and fought directly on the frontlines. A mercenary was quoted as saying that training children was "awful and crazy" but commented that "sadly, that is the nature of conflict".

Targeted Persons

Among those penalized was Álvaro Andrés Quijano Becerra, a individual with dual citizenship and retired Colombian military officer located in the UAE. The Treasury alleged he played a pivotal function in enlisting and transporting mercenaries to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was penalized as well.

Also on the restricted list was Mateo Duque Botero, a dual national who the Treasury stated oversaw a company implicated in processing money and salaries for the recruitment operation. "In 2024 and 2025, US-based firms connected to Duque carried out numerous wire transfers, worth millions," the Treasury statement stated.

Colombian national Mónica Muñoz was the final person to be targeted, with the entity she oversaw accused of financial transactions connected to Duque and his businesses.

"The United States again calls on outside forces to cease providing financial and military support to the combatants," the Treasury announced.

Reaction

A senior analyst, from a conflict think tank, called the measures as a "very significant" step, saying that "targeting the enablers is the correct approach".

It was also noted that, the Colombian government recently passed a piece of legislation ratifying the global treaty against mercenarism, seeking to reduce its citizens' long history in overseas wars and change national security policy.

Sean McFate, a authority on private military contractors, advised additional measures, saying that "sanctions are necessary but insufficient for addressing rampant mercenarism".

"It operates in the black market and operating from the UAE, which is largely insulated from sanctions," he stated. The Emirati government has been frequently alleged of providing arms to the militia, allegations it disputes. "Expect more Colombian mercenaries," he advised.