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The US government has imposed sanctions on a group of several persons and entities accused of hiring former Colombian soldiers to combat alongside and instruct a Sudanese paramilitary group which the US alleges of committing genocide.

Operation Structure

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

Hundreds of ex-soldiers from Colombia have reportedly travelled to the conflict in Sudan to fight alongside the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a group accused of terrible atrocities including massacres based on ethnicity and mass abductions.

Discovery of Participation

The role of these mercenaries was first uncovered last year, after an inquiry which found that hundreds of retired troops had been contracted to fight – an revelation that prompted an unprecedented apology from officials in Bogotá.

These South American veterans have historically been seen as among the world’s most sought-after mercenaries due to their considerable warzone knowledge gleaned from a long-running domestic war, knowledge of advanced weaponry, and superior tactical education.

Reported Actions

In Sudan, the mercenaries have allegedly instructed minors, provided drone warfare training, and fought directly on the frontlines. One source remarked that working with child soldiers was "terrible and insane" but noted that "unfortunately that’s how war is".

Targeted Persons

Among those targeted was Álvaro Andrés Quijano Becerra, a dual Colombian-Italian national and retired Colombian military officer operating from the United Arab Emirates. The government accused him a central role in recruiting and deploying ex-military personnel to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was similarly targeted.

Also on the penalty list was Mateo Andrés Duque Botero, a dual Colombian-Spanish citizen who officials alleged ran a firm accused of managing finances and payments for the network. "Over the past two years, American entities connected to Duque carried out several money transfers, worth millions," the official announcement stated.

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

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

Reaction

Elizabeth Dickinson, senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, described the actions as a "very significant" development, noting that "calling out those who are doing the contracting is the right way to go".

Furthermore, Colombia has enacted a statute ratifying the global treaty against mercenarism, aiming to curb decades of Colombian involvement in foreign conflicts and transform its security approach.

Another expert, a scholar on the subject, urged more caution, saying that "restrictions are needed but not enough for addressing widespread use of contractors".

"It’s an illicit economy and centered in the UAE, which is relatively sanction-proof," he said. The Emirati government has been frequently alleged of arming the RSF, claims it rejects. "More contractors from Colombia are likely," he advised.