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The United States has imposed sanctions on a operation of several persons and entities charged of enlisting Colombian mercenaries to combat alongside and instruct a militia force in Sudan that Washington accuses of committing genocide.

Group Makeup

Disclosing the measures on Tuesday, the Treasury stated the scheme was primarily made up of individuals and businesses from Colombia.

Numerous of former Colombian military personnel have allegedly journeyed to Sudan to fight alongside the RSF paramilitary group, a faction linked to severe violations encompassing massacres based on ethnicity and widespread kidnappings.

Discovery of Participation

The participation of ex-soldiers first came to light in 2024, following an investigation which found that more than 300 retired troops had been hired to fight – an event that led to 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 extensive battlefield experience acquired during decades of civil war, familiarity with Western military gear, and high-level combat training.

Activities in Sudan

In Sudan, the Colombians have reportedly trained underage fighters, provided drone warfare training, and engaged in frontline combat. An individual involved was quoted as saying that working with child soldiers was "horrific and irrational" but added that "unfortunately that’s how war is".

Sanctioned Individuals

Among those penalized was Álvaro Andrés Quijano Becerra, a individual with dual citizenship and retired Colombian military officer operating from the Dubai. The Treasury alleged he played a central role in enlisting and transporting ex-military personnel to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was similarly targeted.

Also on the sanctions list was Duque Botero, a dual Colombian-Spanish citizen who officials alleged managed a business implicated in managing finances and payments for the scheme. "In 2024 and 2025, US-based firms linked to Duque carried out multiple financial transactions, amounting to millions," the official announcement said.

Colombian national Mónica Muñoz was the final person to be sanctioned, with the firm she operated alleged to have wire transfers associated with Duque and his operations.

"The United States again calls on outside forces to cease providing monetary and weaponry aid to the combatants," the Treasury announced.

Expert Analysis

An expert, senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, described the sanctions as a "highly important" milestone, saying that "identifying the recruiters is the proper strategy".

Furthermore, Colombia recently passed a law endorsing the anti-mercenary convention, aiming to curb decades of Colombian involvement in foreign conflicts and transform its security approach.

A mercenary specialist, a scholar on the subject, advised additional measures, saying that "sanctions are necessary but insufficient for combating widespread use of contractors".

"This is a shadow economy and operating from the Emirates, which is relatively sanction-proof," he commented. The Emirati government has been repeatedly implicated of arming the RSF, an accusation it has denied. "More contractors from Colombia are likely," McFate warned.