US Imposes Penalties on Network Accused of Channeling Colombian Fighters to the Sudanese Conflict.

The US government has enforced penalties on a group of several persons and entities accused of hiring South American contractors to support and educate a militia force in Sudan which the US alleges of genocidal acts.

Operation Structure

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

Hundreds of retired Colombian troops have reportedly travelled to the Sudanese warzone to fight alongside the Sudanese RSF militia, a faction linked to horrific war crimes encompassing massacres based on ethnicity and large-scale abductions.

Discovery of Participation

The role of these mercenaries first came to light last year, after an report which found that more than 300 former soldiers had been contracted to participate in the war – an event that led to an unusual statement of regret from the Colombian government.

Former Colombian military have long been considered as some of the most in-demand contractors globally due to their extensive battlefield experience resulting from decades of civil war, familiarity with advanced weaponry, and elite military instruction.

Role in the Conflict

In the conflict, the Colombians have reportedly trained underage fighters, provided drone warfare training, and participated in direct battles. An individual involved was quoted as saying that training children was "awful and crazy" but added that "sadly, that is the nature of conflict".

Targeted Persons

Among those targeted was Álvaro Andrés Quijano Becerra, a citizen of both Colombia and Italy and retired Colombian military officer based in the United Arab Emirates. The Treasury said he had a central role in enlisting and transporting former Colombian soldiers 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 authorities say oversaw a company implicated in managing finances and payments for the network. "In 2024 and 2025, companies in the United States linked to Duque carried out several money transfers, amounting to millions," the government release said.

Colombian national Mónica Muñoz was the fourth individual to be sanctioned, with the company she managed accused of wire transfers connected to Duque and his companies.

"Washington reiterates its demand for external actors to cease providing financial and military support to the belligerents," the agency said in a statement.

Expert Analysis

A senior analyst, senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, labeled the actions as a "highly important" development, saying that "calling out those who are doing the contracting is the proper strategy".

She added that, Colombia ratified a statute approving the global treaty against mercenarism, aiming to curb decades of Colombian involvement in foreign conflicts and reshape domestic defense strategy.

Sean McFate, an expert on mercenaries, urged more caution, noting that "sanctions are necessary but insufficient for dealing with widespread use of contractors".

"It operates in the black market and centered in the UAE, which is difficult to penalize," he commented. The UAE has been repeatedly implicated of arming the RSF, claims it rejects. "More contractors from Colombia are likely," the expert cautioned.