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The United States has levied restrictions on a operation of several persons and entities charged of recruiting former Colombian soldiers to combat alongside and instruct a armed faction in Sudan the United States claims of acts of genocide.

Network Composition

Revealing the restrictions on this week, the US Treasury Department stated the network was largely composed of Colombian nationals and companies.

Scores of retired Colombian troops have allegedly journeyed to Sudan to fight alongside the Sudanese RSF militia, a group accused of horrific war crimes such as ethnically targeted slaughter and widespread kidnappings.

Discovery of Participation

The involvement of Colombian fighters initially emerged in 2024, following an report which found that hundreds of retired troops had been hired to fight – an event that resulted in an unusual statement of regret from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

Former Colombian military have long been considered as highly prized fighters in conflict zones due to their extensive battlefield experience resulting from a long-running domestic war, knowledge of Western military gear, and high-level combat training.

Role in the Conflict

In the conflict, the Colombians have allegedly instructed minors, provided drone warfare training, and engaged in frontline combat. An individual involved remarked that instructing minors was "horrific and irrational" but noted that "regrettably, war operates that way".

Named Entities

Among those targeted was Álvaro Andrés Quijano Becerra, a dual Colombian-Italian national and ex-soldier based in the Dubai. The US authorities alleged he played a central role in enlisting and transporting mercenaries to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Oliveros, was similarly targeted.

Also on the restricted list was Mateo Duque Botero, a dual Colombian-Spanish citizen who authorities say managed a business linked to managing finances and payments for the recruitment operation. "Recently, American entities associated with Duque conducted several money transfers, totalling millions of US dollars," the official announcement stated.

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

"Washington reiterates its demand for external actors to stop giving financial and military support to the belligerents," the department said in a statement.

Analyst Commentary

Elizabeth Dickinson, senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, labeled the sanctions as a "major" development, saying that "identifying the recruiters is the proper strategy".

Furthermore, Bogotá ratified a law approving the anti-mercenary convention, seeking to reduce years of participation by its nationals in foreign conflicts and reshape its security approach.

A mercenary specialist, an expert on mercenaries, advised additional measures, saying that "penalties are required yet incomplete for addressing the growing mercenary trade".

"It’s an illicit economy and operating from Dubai, which is relatively sanction-proof," he stated. The UAE has been repeatedly implicated of supplying weapons to the paramilitary group, claims it rejects. "More contractors from Colombia are likely," the expert cautioned.