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The Washington has levied restrictions on a network of four people and four firms charged of enlisting former Colombian soldiers to fight for and train a armed faction in Sudan the United States claims of genocidal acts.

Group Makeup

Revealing the measures on this week, the US Treasury Department stated the network was largely composed of Colombian citizens and firms.

Numerous of former Colombian military personnel have allegedly journeyed to the Sudanese warzone to combat beside the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a group accused of severe violations encompassing targeted ethnic killings and widespread kidnappings.

Discovery of Participation

The role of these mercenaries was first uncovered the previous year, following an inquiry which revealed that over three hundred retired troops had been hired to engage in combat – an discovery that resulted in an rare mea culpa from officials in Bogotá.

These South American veterans have long been considered as highly prized fighters in conflict zones due to their extensive battlefield experience gleaned from a long-running domestic war, training on Western military gear, and elite military instruction.

Role in the Conflict

In Sudan, the contractors have allegedly instructed child soldiers, provided drone warfare training, and participated in direct battles. An individual involved previously stated that instructing minors was "terrible and insane" but noted that "sadly, that is the nature of conflict".

Targeted Persons

Among those penalized was Álvaro Andrés Quijano Becerra, a dual Colombian-Italian national and ex-soldier based in the United Arab Emirates. The US authorities said he had a central role in recruiting and deploying mercenaries to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Oliveros, was similarly targeted.

Also on the restricted list was Mateo Andrés Duque Botero, a dual national who officials alleged ran a firm implicated in processing money and salaries for the scheme. "In 2024 and 2025, companies in the United States linked to Duque conducted several money transfers, amounting to millions," the Treasury statement noted.

Individual Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the other individual to be penalized, with the company she managed accused of money transfers associated with Duque and his businesses.

"The United States again calls on external actors to stop giving funding and arms to the combatants," the department announced.

Expert Analysis

An expert, with the International Crisis Group, labeled the actions as a "highly important" step, noting that "targeting the enablers is the right way to go".

Furthermore, Bogotá ratified a piece of legislation approving the anti-mercenary convention, designed to limit decades of Colombian involvement in overseas wars and change national security policy.

A mercenary specialist, a authority on private military contractors, called for greater wariness, noting that "penalties are required yet incomplete for combating widespread use of contractors".

"It operates in the black market and based out of the UAE, which is difficult to penalize," he stated. The Emirati government has been repeatedly implicated of arming the RSF, claims it rejects. "This trend will probably continue," he advised.