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The United States has levied restrictions on a operation of several persons and entities accused of enlisting Colombian mercenaries to fight for and train a Sudanese paramilitary group that Washington accuses of committing genocide.

Network Composition

Announcing the restrictions on Tuesday, the Treasury stated the network was mostly comprised of Colombian citizens and firms.

Hundreds of retired Colombian troops have reportedly travelled to the conflict in Sudan to combat beside the RSF paramilitary group, a faction accused of terrible atrocities including massacres based on ethnicity and mass abductions.

Discovery of Participation

The involvement of Colombian fighters initially emerged last year, prompted by an investigation which disclosed that hundreds of ex-military personnel had been recruited to fight – an revelation that resulted in an unusual statement of regret from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

Former Colombian military have long been considered as among the world’s most sought-after mercenaries due to their extensive battlefield experience resulting from a long-running domestic war, training on Nato equipment, and high-level combat training.

Activities in Sudan

In Sudan, the contractors have reportedly trained minors, instructed militiamen in drone operation, and fought directly on the frontlines. An individual involved was quoted as saying that training children was "awful and crazy" but added that "regrettably, war operates that way".

Named Entities

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

Also on the sanctions list was Mateo Duque Botero, a dual national who authorities say oversaw a company accused of managing finances and payments for the network. "In 2024 and 2025, US-based firms connected to Duque conducted multiple financial transactions, worth millions," the official announcement stated.

Colombian national Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the final person to be sanctioned, with the firm she operated accused of money transfers associated with Duque and his businesses.

"The United States again calls on foreign parties to stop giving funding and arms to the combatants," the Treasury stated.

Reaction

An expert, with the International Crisis Group, called the actions as a "highly important" development, stating that "identifying the recruiters is the proper strategy".

It was also noted that, Bogotá ratified a law endorsing the anti-mercenary convention, aiming to curb years of participation by its nationals in international fights and change its security approach.

Another expert, a authority on private military contractors, urged more caution, stating that "penalties are required yet incomplete for dealing with the growing mercenary trade".

"It operates in the black market and centered in the UAE, which is difficult to penalize," he stated. The Emirati government has been repeatedly implicated of supplying weapons to the paramilitary group, an accusation it has denied. "Expect more Colombian mercenaries," the expert cautioned.