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The United States has imposed sanctions on a operation of several persons and entities accused of recruiting former Colombian soldiers to combat alongside and instruct a militia force in Sudan which the US alleges of acts of genocide.

Network Composition

Revealing the restrictions on Tuesday, the Treasury stated the network was primarily made up of Colombian citizens and firms.

Scores of former Colombian military personnel have allegedly journeyed to Sudan to fight alongside the RSF paramilitary group, a group implicated in terrible atrocities such as ethnically targeted slaughter and widespread kidnappings.

Revelation of Role

The involvement of Colombian fighters initially emerged in 2024, after an report which disclosed that hundreds of retired troops had been contracted to engage in combat – an revelation that prompted an unusual statement of regret from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

Former Colombian military have widely regarded as some of the most in-demand contractors globally due to their considerable warzone knowledge gleaned from decades of civil war, familiarity with advanced weaponry, and elite military instruction.

Role in the Conflict

In the conflict, the mercenaries have allegedly instructed minors, provided drone warfare training, and fought directly on the frontlines. One source remarked that working with child soldiers was "awful and crazy" but commented that "unfortunately that’s how war is".

Named Entities

Among those sanctioned was Álvaro Andrés Quijano Becerra, a individual with dual citizenship and former army officer operating from the Dubai. The Treasury said he had a central role in enlisting and transporting former Colombian soldiers to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Oliveros, was also sanctioned.

Also on the penalty list was Duque Botero, a dual Colombian-Spanish citizen who authorities say oversaw a company linked to processing money and salaries for the recruitment operation. "In 2024 and 2025, US-based firms associated with Duque carried out multiple financial transactions, worth millions," the government release stated.

Colombian national Mónica Muñoz was the final person to be targeted, with the entity she oversaw said to have conducted money transfers linked to Duque and his companies.

"The United States again calls on foreign parties to cease providing monetary and weaponry aid to the combatants," the Treasury stated.

Analyst Commentary

A senior analyst, senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, labeled the sanctions as a "highly important" milestone, saying that "identifying the recruiters is the correct approach".

She added that, the Colombian government recently passed a piece of legislation approving the anti-mercenary convention, aiming to curb decades of Colombian involvement in foreign conflicts and change national security policy.

Another expert, an expert on mercenaries, urged more caution, saying that "sanctions are necessary but insufficient for dealing with widespread use of contractors".

"It operates in the black market and centered in Dubai, which is relatively sanction-proof," he said. The United Arab Emirates has been repeatedly implicated of providing arms to the militia, claims it rejects. "More contractors from Colombia are likely," McFate warned.