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The United States has imposed sanctions on a group of several persons and entities alleged of hiring Colombian mercenaries to support and educate a armed faction in Sudan that Washington accuses of genocidal acts.

Network Composition

Announcing the sanctions on this week, the Treasury stated the operation was mostly comprised of Colombian nationals and companies.

Numerous of retired Colombian troops have reportedly travelled to Sudan to combat beside the Sudanese RSF militia, a force accused of horrific war crimes including ethnically targeted slaughter and mass abductions.

Emergence of Involvement

The role of these mercenaries initially emerged in 2024, prompted by an investigation which disclosed that more than 300 former soldiers had been contracted to fight – an revelation that resulted in an rare mea culpa from officials in Bogotá.

Colombian ex-soldiers have historically been seen as highly prized fighters in conflict zones due to their considerable warzone knowledge acquired during years of internal conflict, training on Western military gear, and high-level combat training.

Reported Actions

In the Sudanese theater, the contractors have been accused of teaching minors, taught fighters to pilot drones, and participated in direct battles. A mercenary was quoted as saying that instructing minors was "terrible and insane" but noted that "regrettably, war operates that way".

Targeted Persons

Among those penalized was Álvaro Andrés Quijano Becerra, a dual Colombian-Italian national and ex-soldier based in the Dubai. The government accused him a pivotal function in enlisting and transporting former Colombian soldiers to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Oliveros, was also sanctioned.

Also on the sanctions list was Mateo Duque Botero, a dual national who officials alleged managed a business implicated in managing finances and payments for the scheme. "Recently, US-based firms connected to Duque engaged in multiple financial transactions, worth millions," the Treasury statement noted.

Citizen of Colombia Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the final person to be penalized, with the company she managed accused of wire transfers linked to Duque and his companies.

"Washington reiterates its demand for external actors to cease providing funding and arms to the warring parties," the Treasury said in a statement.

Expert Analysis

A senior analyst, with the International Crisis Group, called the measures as a "very significant" step, saying that "calling out those who are doing the contracting is the proper strategy".

Furthermore, Bogotá recently passed a piece of legislation approving the global treaty against mercenarism, designed to limit years of participation by its nationals in international fights and change its security approach.

Another expert, a authority on private military contractors, advised additional measures, stating that "sanctions are necessary but insufficient for addressing widespread use of contractors".

"It’s an illicit economy and based out of the UAE, which is difficult to penalize," he stated. The United Arab Emirates has been repeatedly implicated of arming the RSF, allegations it disputes. "Expect more Colombian mercenaries," he advised.