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The Washington has imposed sanctions on a group of four people and four firms charged of hiring South American contractors to combat alongside and instruct a militia force in Sudan the United States claims of committing genocide.

Group Makeup

Announcing the sanctions on Tuesday, the American treasury stated the network was largely composed of individuals and businesses from Colombia.

Numerous of retired Colombian troops have been recruited to go to the conflict in Sudan to combat beside the Sudanese RSF militia, a group implicated in horrific war crimes encompassing massacres based on ethnicity and large-scale abductions.

Emergence of Involvement

The participation of ex-soldiers first came to light in 2024, following an inquiry which revealed that over three hundred former soldiers had been hired to participate in the war – an discovery that led to an unprecedented apology from the Colombian government.

Former Colombian military have historically been seen as among the world’s most sought-after mercenaries due to their extensive battlefield experience acquired during decades of civil war, training on Western military gear, and high-level combat training.

Reported Actions

In the conflict, the mercenaries have reportedly trained minors, instructed militiamen in drone operation, and participated in direct battles. One source was quoted as saying that instructing minors was "horrific and irrational" but commented that "regrettably, war operates that way".

Sanctioned Individuals

Among those penalized was Álvaro Andrés Quijano Becerra, a citizen of both Colombia and Italy and ex-soldier located in the United Arab Emirates. The government accused him a pivotal function in recruiting and deploying former Colombian soldiers to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Oliveros, was similarly targeted.

Also on the restricted list was 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, American entities connected to Duque conducted numerous wire transfers, worth millions," the official announcement stated.

Colombian national Mónica Muñoz was the final person to be penalized, with the firm she operated said to have conducted money transfers linked to Duque and his companies.

"Washington reiterates its demand for external actors to cease providing funding and arms to the combatants," the department said in a statement.

Expert Analysis

An expert, senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, labeled the actions as a "major" development, noting that "targeting the enablers is the right way to go".

She added that, the Colombian government recently passed a piece of legislation approving the International Convention Against the Recruitment and Use of Mercenaries, aiming to curb decades of Colombian involvement in overseas wars and transform national security policy.

Sean McFate, an expert on mercenaries, advised additional measures, saying that "sanctions are necessary but insufficient for combating the growing mercenary trade".

"It operates in the black market and operating from the UAE, which is difficult to penalize," he said. The UAE has been widely accused of arming the RSF, allegations it disputes. "Expect more Colombian mercenaries," the expert cautioned.