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The United States has levied restrictions on a operation of four individuals and four companies charged of enlisting South American contractors to fight for and train a armed faction in Sudan which the US alleges of genocidal acts.

Network Composition

Disclosing the measures on Tuesday, the US Treasury Department stated the operation was largely composed of individuals and businesses from Colombia.

Numerous of ex-soldiers from Colombia have allegedly journeyed to the conflict in Sudan to operate with the Sudanese RSF militia, a force accused of terrible atrocities encompassing targeted ethnic killings and widespread kidnappings.

Emergence of Involvement

The participation of ex-soldiers first came to light in 2024, prompted by an investigation which found that hundreds of retired troops had been hired to fight – an revelation that prompted an rare mea culpa 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, training on Western military gear, and high-level combat training.

Reported Actions

In the conflict, the Colombians have been accused of teaching minors, instructed militiamen in drone operation, and participated in direct battles. One source previously stated that training children was "awful and crazy" but noted that "unfortunately that’s how war is".

Sanctioned Individuals

Among those targeted was Álvaro Andrés Quijano Becerra, a individual with dual citizenship and former army officer operating from the Dubai. The Treasury accused him a central role in enlisting and transporting former Colombian soldiers to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was similarly targeted.

Also on the sanctions list was Duque Botero, a dual national who officials alleged ran a firm accused of managing finances and payments for the recruitment operation. "Recently, companies in the United States connected to Duque conducted numerous wire transfers, totalling millions of US dollars," the Treasury statement noted.

Citizen of Colombia Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the fourth individual to be sanctioned, with the firm she operated alleged to have money transfers linked to Duque and his companies.

"Washington reiterates its demand for foreign parties to halt the flow of funding and arms to the warring parties," the department stated.

Expert Analysis

An expert, senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, called the measures as a "very significant" step, noting that "identifying the recruiters is the correct approach".

She added that, the Colombian government has enacted a law approving the anti-mercenary convention, aiming to curb decades of Colombian involvement in foreign conflicts and transform domestic defense strategy.

Another expert, an expert on mercenaries, urged more caution, saying that "penalties are required yet incomplete for dealing with widespread use of contractors".

"It’s an illicit economy and operating from the UAE, which is largely insulated from sanctions," he stated. The Emirati government has been widely accused of supplying weapons to the paramilitary group, claims it rejects. "Expect more Colombian mercenaries," he advised.