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The US government has imposed sanctions on a operation of several persons and entities charged of recruiting South American contractors to fight for and train a militia force in Sudan the United States claims of acts of genocide.

Network Composition

Revealing the sanctions on this week, the American treasury stated the network was largely composed of Colombian nationals and companies.

Scores of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been recruited to go to the Sudanese warzone to operate with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a force linked to horrific war crimes including massacres based on ethnicity and widespread kidnappings.

Revelation of Role

The role of these mercenaries first came to light in 2024, after an investigation which found that hundreds of ex-military personnel had been hired to participate in the war – an discovery that prompted an unusual statement of regret from officials in Bogotá.

These South American veterans have long been considered as highly prized fighters in conflict zones due to their vast combat experience acquired during years of internal conflict, familiarity with advanced weaponry, and elite military instruction.

Role in the Conflict

In the conflict, the mercenaries have reportedly trained underage fighters, provided drone warfare training, and engaged in frontline combat. A mercenary remarked that training children was "awful and crazy" but noted that "regrettably, war operates that way".

Sanctioned Individuals

Among those sanctioned was Álvaro Andrés Quijano Becerra, a dual Colombian-Italian national and former army officer based in the Dubai. The Treasury accused him a pivotal function in hiring and sending mercenaries to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Oliveros, was also sanctioned.

Also on the restricted list was Mateo Andrés Duque Botero, a dual Colombian-Spanish citizen who the Treasury stated managed a business linked to managing finances and payments for the scheme. "In 2024 and 2025, US-based firms associated with Duque carried out multiple financial transactions, amounting to millions," the government release noted.

Citizen of Colombia Mónica Muñoz was the fourth individual to be penalized, with the company she managed said to have conducted wire transfers linked to Duque and his businesses.

"The United States again calls on foreign parties to halt the flow of funding and arms to the warring parties," the department stated.

Expert Analysis

A senior analyst, with the International Crisis Group, called the measures as a "highly important" milestone, saying that "identifying the recruiters is the correct approach".

Furthermore, Colombia ratified a statute ratifying the International Convention Against the Recruitment and Use of Mercenaries, aiming to curb decades of Colombian involvement in overseas wars and change domestic defense strategy.

Another expert, an expert on mercenaries, called for greater wariness, stating that "sanctions are necessary but insufficient for dealing with widespread use of contractors".

"It’s an illicit economy and operating from the UAE, which is largely insulated from sanctions," he said. The United Arab Emirates has been repeatedly implicated of arming the RSF, claims it rejects. "Expect more Colombian mercenaries," McFate warned.