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The Washington has imposed sanctions on a network of four individuals and four companies alleged of recruiting former Colombian soldiers to combat alongside and instruct a Sudanese paramilitary group that Washington accuses of genocidal acts.

Network Composition

Announcing the restrictions on Tuesday, the Treasury stated the network was largely composed of Colombian nationals and companies.

Scores of former Colombian military personnel have reportedly travelled to the conflict in Sudan to combat beside the RSF paramilitary group, a faction accused of terrible atrocities such as massacres based on ethnicity and widespread kidnappings.

Revelation of Role

The participation of ex-soldiers was first uncovered in 2024, prompted by an investigation which revealed that more than 300 ex-military personnel had been recruited to engage in combat – an event that led to an unusual statement of regret from the Colombian government.

Former Colombian military have widely regarded as some of the most in-demand contractors globally due to their vast combat experience resulting from decades of civil war, training on advanced weaponry, and high-level combat training.

Reported Actions

In Sudan, the contractors have allegedly instructed child soldiers, provided drone warfare training, and engaged in frontline combat. A mercenary was quoted as saying that instructing minors was "terrible and insane" but commented that "sadly, that is the nature of conflict".

Sanctioned Individuals

Among those penalized was Álvaro Andrés Quijano Becerra, a citizen of both Colombia and Italy and retired Colombian military officer operating from the UAE. The government said he had a central role in hiring and sending former Colombian soldiers to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Oliveros, was penalized as well.

Also on the penalty list was Mateo Duque Botero, a dual national who officials alleged managed a business linked to managing finances and payments for the scheme. "Recently, companies in the United States connected to Duque carried out several money transfers, amounting to millions," the official announcement noted.

Citizen of Colombia Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the final person to be targeted, with the entity she oversaw alleged to have financial transactions connected to Duque and his businesses.

"The United States again calls on foreign parties to cease providing funding and arms to the belligerents," the department stated.

Expert Analysis

Elizabeth Dickinson, from a conflict think tank, labeled the measures as a "very significant" development, stating that "calling out those who are doing the contracting is the right way to go".

She added that, Bogotá recently passed a piece of legislation approving the anti-mercenary convention, seeking to reduce decades of Colombian involvement in international fights and change its security approach.

Sean McFate, an expert on mercenaries, advised additional measures, stating that "penalties are required yet incomplete for combating 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 repeatedly implicated of providing arms to the militia, an accusation it has denied. "Expect more Colombian mercenaries," he advised.