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The Washington has imposed sanctions on a operation of four people and four firms alleged of hiring Colombian mercenaries to fight for and train a militia force in Sudan the United States claims of committing genocide.

Network Composition

Disclosing the sanctions on Tuesday, the American treasury stated the network was primarily made up of individuals and businesses from Colombia.

Numerous of former Colombian military personnel have been recruited to go to the Sudanese warzone to combat beside the Sudanese RSF militia, a force implicated in terrible atrocities encompassing massacres based on ethnicity and widespread kidnappings.

Discovery of Participation

The role of these mercenaries initially emerged last year, following an inquiry which found that over three hundred retired troops had been contracted to fight – an event that resulted in an unprecedented apology from the Colombian government.

Former Colombian military have historically been seen as highly prized fighters in conflict zones due to their vast combat experience acquired during a long-running domestic war, knowledge of advanced weaponry, and elite military instruction.

Activities in Sudan

In the Sudanese theater, the Colombians have been accused of teaching underage fighters, instructed militiamen in drone operation, and engaged in frontline combat. An individual involved previously stated that training children was "terrible and insane" but added that "regrettably, war operates that way".

Named Entities

Among those penalized was Álvaro Andrés Quijano Becerra, a dual Colombian-Italian national and former army officer based in the UAE. The government said he had a key part in enlisting and transporting mercenaries to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Oliveros, was also sanctioned.

Also on the sanctions list was Mateo Andrés Duque Botero, a dual Colombian-Spanish citizen who the Treasury stated oversaw a company implicated in processing money and salaries for the recruitment operation. "In 2024 and 2025, American entities linked to Duque conducted multiple financial transactions, worth millions," the official announcement noted.

Citizen of Colombia Mónica Muñoz was the fourth individual to be sanctioned, with the entity she oversaw accused of money transfers linked to Duque and his businesses.

"The US once more urges outside forces to cease providing funding and arms to the combatants," the agency announced.

Reaction

An expert, from a conflict think tank, called the sanctions as a "highly important" development, stating that "targeting the enablers is the proper strategy".

Furthermore, Colombia has enacted a statute endorsing the International Convention Against the Recruitment and Use of Mercenaries, seeking to reduce its citizens' long history in foreign conflicts and reshape its security approach.

Another expert, a scholar on the subject, urged more caution, saying that "penalties are required yet incomplete for combating the growing mercenary trade".

"It operates in the black market and operating from Dubai, which is largely insulated from sanctions," he stated. The Emirati government has been widely accused of arming the RSF, an accusation it has denied. "This trend will probably continue," he advised.