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The US government has imposed sanctions on a network of four individuals and four companies alleged of enlisting former Colombian soldiers to combat alongside and instruct a militia force in Sudan that Washington accuses of committing genocide.

Operation Structure

Announcing the restrictions on Tuesday, the American treasury stated the scheme was primarily made up of individuals and businesses from Colombia.

Scores of former Colombian military personnel have been recruited to go to the Sudanese warzone to fight alongside the Sudanese RSF militia, a group accused of severe violations encompassing targeted ethnic killings and mass abductions.

Emergence of Involvement

The participation of ex-soldiers was first uncovered in 2024, after an report which found that more than 300 ex-military personnel had been contracted to fight – an event that led to an rare mea culpa from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

Colombian ex-soldiers have widely regarded as highly prized fighters in conflict zones due to their extensive battlefield experience gleaned from years of internal conflict, knowledge of Nato equipment, and high-level combat training.

Role in the Conflict

In the conflict, the Colombians have reportedly trained underage fighters, taught fighters to pilot drones, and engaged in frontline combat. A mercenary was quoted as saying that training children was "awful and crazy" but commented that "sadly, that is the nature of conflict".

Targeted Persons

Among those sanctioned was Álvaro Andrés Quijano Becerra, a individual with dual citizenship and ex-soldier based in the UAE. The government accused him a central role in recruiting and deploying mercenaries to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was penalized as well.

Also on the sanctions list was Mateo Andrés Duque Botero, a dual Colombian-Spanish citizen who officials alleged managed a business linked to processing money and salaries for the scheme. "In 2024 and 2025, companies in the United States associated with Duque engaged in numerous wire transfers, amounting to millions," the official announcement noted.

Colombian national Mónica Muñoz was the fourth individual to be targeted, with the entity she oversaw accused of wire transfers connected to Duque and his companies.

"The United States again calls on foreign parties to halt the flow of monetary and weaponry aid to the combatants," the department stated.

Analyst Commentary

Elizabeth Dickinson, senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, labeled the sanctions as a "very significant" step, stating that "identifying the recruiters is the right way to go".

It was also noted that, Colombia ratified a statute endorsing the International Convention Against the Recruitment and Use of Mercenaries, designed to limit decades of Colombian involvement in overseas wars and change national security policy.

Sean McFate, an expert on mercenaries, urged more caution, saying that "sanctions are necessary but insufficient for combating the growing mercenary trade".

"It’s an illicit economy and centered in the Emirates, which is relatively sanction-proof," he said. The Emirati government has been repeatedly implicated of arming the RSF, an accusation it has denied. "Expect more Colombian mercenaries," the expert cautioned.