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The United States has enforced penalties on a network of several persons and entities accused of enlisting former Colombian soldiers to fight for and train a armed faction in Sudan the United States claims of genocidal acts.

Network Composition

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

Numerous of ex-soldiers from Colombia have allegedly journeyed to the Sudanese warzone to combat beside the RSF paramilitary group, a faction accused of severe violations such as ethnically targeted slaughter and widespread kidnappings.

Emergence of Involvement

The role of these mercenaries first came to light in 2024, following an inquiry which revealed that hundreds of retired troops had been recruited to participate in the war – an event that led to an rare mea culpa from officials in Bogotá.

Former Colombian military have historically been seen as among the world’s most sought-after mercenaries due to their considerable warzone knowledge acquired during years of internal conflict, training on advanced weaponry, and superior tactical education.

Activities in Sudan

In Sudan, the mercenaries have allegedly instructed minors, taught fighters to pilot drones, and engaged in frontline combat. A mercenary remarked that instructing minors was "horrific and irrational" but noted that "regrettably, war operates that way".

Named Entities

Among those penalized was Álvaro Andrés Quijano Becerra, a dual Colombian-Italian national and ex-soldier operating from the United Arab Emirates. The Treasury accused him a central role in recruiting and deploying former Colombian soldiers to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Oliveros, was similarly targeted.

Also on the restricted list was Mateo Andrés Duque Botero, a individual with Colombian and Spanish citizenship who authorities say oversaw a company implicated in handling funds and payroll for the scheme. "Over the past two years, US-based firms associated with Duque carried out multiple financial transactions, totalling millions of US dollars," the official announcement noted.

Citizen of Colombia Mónica Muñoz was the other individual to be penalized, with the firm she operated accused of financial transactions linked to Duque and his businesses.

"The United States again calls on external actors to cease providing financial and military support to the combatants," the agency stated.

Reaction

An expert, with the International Crisis Group, labeled the sanctions as a "major" step, 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, seeking to reduce years of participation by its nationals in international fights and transform domestic defense strategy.

A mercenary specialist, an expert on mercenaries, called for greater wariness, stating that "restrictions are needed but not enough for dealing with rampant mercenarism".

"This is a shadow economy and operating from the UAE, which is largely insulated from sanctions," he commented. The Emirati government has been repeatedly implicated of supplying weapons to the paramilitary group, claims it rejects. "This trend will probably continue," the expert cautioned.