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The United States has imposed sanctions on a operation of four individuals and four companies charged of recruiting South American contractors to combat alongside and instruct a armed faction in Sudan the United States claims of genocidal acts.

Network Composition

Disclosing the measures on Tuesday, the American treasury stated the operation was largely composed of Colombian citizens and firms.

Hundreds of ex-soldiers from Colombia have allegedly journeyed to the conflict in Sudan to combat beside the RSF paramilitary group, a force implicated in terrible atrocities such as ethnically targeted slaughter and widespread kidnappings.

Discovery of Participation

The participation of ex-soldiers initially emerged in 2024, after an inquiry which found that more than 300 ex-military personnel had been recruited to participate in the war – an discovery that led to an unprecedented apology from the Colombian government.

Colombian ex-soldiers have historically been seen as some of the most in-demand contractors globally due to their extensive battlefield experience acquired during a long-running domestic war, training on Nato equipment, and high-level combat training.

Role in the Conflict

In Sudan, the Colombians have allegedly instructed underage fighters, instructed militiamen in drone operation, and engaged in frontline combat. An individual involved remarked that instructing minors was "terrible and insane" but commented that "regrettably, war operates that way".

Named Entities

Among those sanctioned was Álvaro Andrés Quijano Becerra, a individual with dual citizenship and ex-soldier operating from the Dubai. The Treasury said he had a central role in hiring and sending former Colombian soldiers to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Oliveros, was also sanctioned.

Also on the restricted list was Duque Botero, a individual with Colombian and Spanish citizenship who authorities say oversaw a company accused of managing finances and payments for the recruitment operation. "In 2024 and 2025, companies in the United States linked to Duque conducted numerous wire transfers, totalling millions of US dollars," the official announcement said.

Citizen of Colombia Mónica Muñoz was the fourth individual to be sanctioned, with the firm she operated alleged to have financial transactions linked to Duque and his businesses.

"The US once more urges outside forces to halt the flow of financial and military support to the combatants," the Treasury stated.

Analyst Commentary

An expert, with the International Crisis Group, called the measures as a "major" development, stating that "calling out those who are doing the contracting is the proper strategy".

It was also noted that, Bogotá has enacted a statute approving the global treaty against mercenarism, designed to limit its citizens' long history in international fights and change domestic defense strategy.

Another expert, a scholar on the subject, advised additional measures, saying that "sanctions are necessary but insufficient for dealing with rampant mercenarism".

"It’s an illicit economy and centered in the UAE, which is difficult to penalize," he commented. The United Arab Emirates has been repeatedly implicated of providing arms to the militia, claims it rejects. "This trend will probably continue," McFate warned.