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The US government has imposed sanctions on a group of several persons and entities charged of hiring Colombian mercenaries to support and educate a Sudanese paramilitary group the United States claims of committing genocide.

Operation Structure

Announcing the measures on Tuesday, the US Treasury Department stated the network was largely composed of individuals and businesses from Colombia.

Hundreds of former Colombian military personnel have reportedly travelled to the Sudanese warzone to operate with the Sudanese RSF militia, a force linked to terrible atrocities including ethnically targeted slaughter and mass abductions.

Emergence of Involvement

The participation of ex-soldiers first came to light last year, after an report which disclosed that more than 300 former soldiers had been hired to fight – an event that resulted in an unusual statement of regret from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

Former Colombian military have long been considered as some of the most in-demand contractors globally due to their extensive battlefield experience gleaned from years of internal conflict, training on Western military gear, and superior tactical education.

Role in the Conflict

In Sudan, the contractors have reportedly trained child soldiers, instructed militiamen in drone operation, and fought directly on the frontlines. An individual involved previously stated that instructing minors was "horrific and irrational" but commented that "unfortunately that’s how war is".

Sanctioned Individuals

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

Also on the restricted list was Mateo Andrés Duque Botero, a individual with Colombian and Spanish citizenship who authorities say oversaw a company linked to processing money and salaries for the scheme. "In 2024 and 2025, companies in the United States associated with Duque conducted several money transfers, totalling millions of US dollars," the Treasury statement said.

Colombian national Mónica Muñoz was the final person to be targeted, with the entity she oversaw accused of money transfers associated with Duque and his companies.

"The United States again calls on external actors to halt the flow of funding and arms to the belligerents," the department said in a statement.

Analyst Commentary

An expert, from a conflict think tank, called the measures as a "major" milestone, noting that "calling out those who are doing the contracting is the right way to go".

She added that, the Colombian government has enacted a law endorsing the anti-mercenary convention, designed to limit decades of Colombian involvement in international fights and reshape domestic defense strategy.

A mercenary specialist, a authority on private military contractors, called for greater wariness, saying that "restrictions are needed but not enough for combating the growing mercenary trade".

"It operates in the black market and centered in the Emirates, 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.