🔗 Share this article

The US government has imposed sanctions on a operation of four people and four firms accused of hiring former Colombian soldiers to fight for and train a armed faction in Sudan the United States claims of committing genocide.

Operation Structure

Disclosing the measures on Tuesday, the American treasury stated the network was mostly comprised of individuals and businesses from Colombia.

Numerous of ex-soldiers from Colombia have reportedly travelled to the conflict in Sudan to operate with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a force accused of severe violations encompassing ethnically targeted slaughter and large-scale abductions.

Discovery of Participation

The participation of ex-soldiers was first uncovered in 2024, after an inquiry which found that over three hundred former soldiers had been recruited to participate in the war – an revelation that led to an rare mea culpa from officials in Bogotá.

Colombian ex-soldiers have long been considered as among the world’s most sought-after mercenaries due to their vast combat experience resulting from years of internal conflict, knowledge of Western military gear, and high-level combat training.

Role in the Conflict

In the Sudanese theater, the mercenaries have allegedly instructed underage fighters, provided drone warfare training, and fought directly on the frontlines. An individual involved remarked that working with child soldiers was "horrific and irrational" but added that "regrettably, war operates that way".

Targeted Persons

Among those penalized was Álvaro Andrés Quijano Becerra, a citizen of both Colombia and Italy and retired Colombian military officer located in the UAE. The US authorities said he had a central role in hiring and sending former Colombian soldiers to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Oliveros, was similarly targeted.

Also on the sanctions list was Mateo Andrés Duque Botero, a dual Colombian-Spanish citizen who the Treasury stated ran a firm accused of managing finances and payments for the network. "In 2024 and 2025, companies in the United States associated with Duque carried out multiple financial transactions, amounting to millions," the official announcement stated.

Individual Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the other individual to be penalized, with the firm she operated alleged to have money transfers associated with Duque and his businesses.

"Washington reiterates its demand for outside forces to halt the flow of funding and arms to the combatants," the Treasury announced.

Expert Analysis

A senior analyst, from a conflict think tank, called the measures as a "major" development, saying that "calling out those who are doing the contracting is the right way to go".

Furthermore, Colombia has enacted a law ratifying the global treaty against mercenarism, seeking to reduce its citizens' long history in overseas wars and reshape its security approach.

Another expert, a authority on private military contractors, called for greater wariness, noting that "restrictions are needed but not enough for dealing with widespread use of contractors".

"It operates in the black market and operating from the Emirates, which is relatively sanction-proof," he commented. The United Arab Emirates has been repeatedly implicated of providing arms to the militia, an accusation it has denied. "Expect more Colombian mercenaries," McFate warned.