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The Washington has imposed sanctions on a network of four people and four firms alleged of enlisting former Colombian soldiers to combat alongside and instruct a militia force in Sudan which the US alleges of committing genocide.

Network Composition

Announcing the sanctions on this week, the American treasury stated the operation was primarily made up of Colombian citizens and firms.

Numerous of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been recruited to go to the Sudanese warzone to operate with the Sudanese RSF militia, a force accused of horrific war crimes such as massacres based on ethnicity and mass abductions.

Emergence of Involvement

The role of these mercenaries initially emerged in 2024, prompted by an inquiry which disclosed that over three hundred former soldiers had been recruited to participate in the war – an event that led to an unusual statement of regret from officials in Bogotá.

Former Colombian military have historically been seen as some of the most in-demand contractors globally due to their considerable warzone knowledge gleaned from decades of civil war, knowledge of advanced weaponry, and high-level combat training.

Reported Actions

In the conflict, the contractors have been accused of teaching child soldiers, taught fighters to pilot drones, and engaged in frontline combat. A mercenary was quoted as saying that training children was "horrific and irrational" but noted that "unfortunately that’s how war is".

Named Entities

Among those targeted was Álvaro Andrés Quijano Becerra, a citizen of both Colombia and Italy and former army officer located in the Dubai. The Treasury said he had a key part in enlisting and transporting former Colombian soldiers to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was similarly targeted.

Also on the restricted list was Mateo Andrés Duque Botero, a dual Colombian-Spanish citizen who authorities say oversaw a company accused of handling funds and payroll for the scheme. "In 2024 and 2025, US-based firms connected to Duque carried out numerous wire transfers, worth millions," the Treasury statement noted.

Colombian national Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the fourth individual to be sanctioned, with the company she managed said to have conducted financial transactions connected to Duque and his companies.

"The United States again calls on foreign parties to halt the flow of funding and arms to the combatants," the Treasury said in a statement.

Analyst Commentary

A senior analyst, from a conflict think tank, described the sanctions as a "major" step, stating that "targeting the enablers is the right way to go".

It was also noted that, the Colombian government recently passed a piece of legislation approving the anti-mercenary convention, aiming to curb decades of Colombian involvement in international fights and reshape national security policy.

Another expert, a scholar on the subject, called for greater wariness, saying that "penalties are required yet incomplete for combating the growing mercenary trade".

"It’s an illicit economy and based out of the Emirates, which is largely insulated from sanctions," he said. The Emirati government has been widely accused of supplying weapons to the paramilitary group, allegations it disputes. "This trend will probably continue," McFate warned.