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The US government has imposed sanctions on a network of several persons and entities charged of enlisting Colombian mercenaries to combat alongside and instruct a militia force in Sudan which the US alleges of genocidal acts.

Network Composition

Disclosing the sanctions on this week, the Treasury stated the scheme was largely composed of Colombian nationals and companies.

Numerous of former Colombian military personnel have allegedly journeyed to Sudan to fight alongside the Sudanese RSF militia, a group linked to horrific war crimes such as ethnically targeted slaughter and widespread kidnappings.

Emergence of Involvement

The role of these mercenaries initially emerged in 2024, following an inquiry which revealed that over three hundred retired troops had been hired to participate in the war – an revelation that prompted an unprecedented apology from officials in Bogotá.

Former Colombian military have historically been seen as some of the most in-demand contractors globally due to their considerable warzone knowledge gleaned from a long-running domestic war, familiarity with Nato equipment, and elite military instruction.

Role in the Conflict

In Sudan, the mercenaries have been accused of teaching minors, taught fighters to pilot drones, and fought directly on the frontlines. A mercenary previously stated that instructing minors was "horrific and irrational" but commented that "regrettably, war operates that way".

Targeted Persons

Among those sanctioned was Álvaro Andrés Quijano Becerra, a dual Colombian-Italian national and former army officer located in the UAE. The government accused him a pivotal function in recruiting and deploying ex-military personnel to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was also sanctioned.

Also on the restricted list was Mateo Duque Botero, a dual Colombian-Spanish citizen who officials alleged managed a business accused of managing finances and payments for the network. "In 2024 and 2025, American entities connected to Duque conducted numerous wire transfers, amounting to millions," the government release stated.

Colombian national Mónica Muñoz was the fourth individual to be sanctioned, with the firm she operated said to have conducted financial transactions linked to Duque and his businesses.

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

Expert Analysis

Elizabeth Dickinson, with the International Crisis Group, labeled the sanctions as a "major" development, stating that "targeting the enablers is the proper strategy".

She added that, the Colombian government has enacted a statute ratifying the International Convention Against the Recruitment and Use of Mercenaries, seeking to reduce its citizens' long history in overseas wars and transform national security policy.

Sean McFate, an expert on mercenaries, advised additional measures, stating that "restrictions are needed but not enough for dealing with the growing mercenary trade".

"It operates in the black market and operating from Dubai, which is largely insulated from sanctions," he said. 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.