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The United States has levied restrictions on a operation of four individuals and four companies charged of hiring South American contractors to combat alongside and instruct a armed faction in Sudan the United States claims of acts of genocide.

Network Composition

Announcing the measures on this week, the American treasury stated the network was largely composed of Colombian citizens and firms.

Scores of retired Colombian troops have reportedly travelled to the conflict in Sudan to fight alongside the RSF paramilitary group, a faction accused of horrific war crimes including ethnically targeted slaughter and large-scale abductions.

Discovery of Participation

The participation of ex-soldiers first came to light in 2024, prompted by an report which disclosed that hundreds of retired troops had been recruited to participate in the war – an discovery that resulted in an rare mea culpa from officials in Bogotá.

Colombian ex-soldiers have widely regarded as highly prized fighters in conflict zones due to their vast combat experience acquired during years of internal conflict, knowledge of advanced weaponry, and superior tactical education.

Reported Actions

In the Sudanese theater, the Colombians have reportedly trained child soldiers, provided drone warfare training, and participated in direct battles. One source previously stated that training children was "awful and crazy" but noted that "regrettably, war operates that way".

Sanctioned Individuals

Among those sanctioned was Álvaro Andrés Quijano Becerra, a dual Colombian-Italian national and retired Colombian military officer operating from the Dubai. The government alleged he played a key part in enlisting and transporting ex-military personnel to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was also sanctioned.

Also on the penalty list was Mateo Duque Botero, a dual national who authorities say oversaw a company accused of processing money and salaries for the recruitment operation. "Recently, companies in the United States associated with Duque conducted numerous wire transfers, totalling millions of US dollars," the Treasury statement stated.

Citizen of Colombia Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the final person to be targeted, with the entity she oversaw said to have conducted wire transfers linked to Duque and his operations.

"Washington reiterates its demand for outside forces to stop giving monetary and weaponry aid to the warring parties," the agency said in a statement.

Reaction

Elizabeth Dickinson, senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, described the actions as a "very significant" milestone, stating that "identifying the recruiters is the proper strategy".

It was also noted that, the Colombian government recently passed a statute ratifying the International Convention Against the Recruitment and Use of Mercenaries, designed to limit years of participation by its nationals in international fights and change its security approach.

Sean McFate, an expert on mercenaries, called for greater wariness, saying that "sanctions are necessary but insufficient for dealing with widespread use of contractors".

"This is a shadow economy and operating from Dubai, which is largely insulated from sanctions," he commented. The Emirati government has been frequently alleged of providing arms to the militia, an accusation it has denied. "More contractors from Colombia are likely," McFate warned.