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The Washington has enforced penalties on a network of four people and four firms accused of hiring Colombian mercenaries to support and educate a armed faction in Sudan that Washington accuses of genocidal acts.

Operation Structure

Revealing the measures on Tuesday, the American treasury stated the network was mostly comprised of Colombian nationals and companies.

Hundreds of former Colombian military personnel have reportedly travelled to Sudan to combat beside the RSF paramilitary group, a faction accused of severe violations including ethnically targeted slaughter and large-scale abductions.

Emergence of Involvement

The involvement of Colombian fighters first came to light last year, after an investigation which disclosed that over three hundred ex-military personnel had been contracted to fight – an revelation that prompted an unprecedented apology from officials in Bogotá.

Former Colombian military have long been considered as some of the most in-demand contractors globally due to their considerable warzone knowledge gleaned from decades of civil war, training on Western military gear, and elite military instruction.

Reported Actions

In the conflict, the contractors have allegedly instructed child soldiers, provided drone warfare training, and participated in direct battles. An individual involved previously stated that training children was "horrific and irrational" but commented that "regrettably, war operates that way".

Sanctioned Individuals

Among those targeted was Álvaro Andrés Quijano Becerra, a individual with dual citizenship and former army officer based in the United Arab Emirates. The government said he had a pivotal function in enlisting and transporting former Colombian soldiers to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was penalized as well.

Also on the restricted list was Mateo Andrés Duque Botero, a individual with Colombian and Spanish citizenship who authorities say oversaw a company accused of managing finances and payments for the scheme. "In 2024 and 2025, US-based firms associated with Duque conducted multiple financial transactions, totalling millions of US dollars," the Treasury statement stated.

Individual Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the fourth individual to be sanctioned, with the firm she operated accused of financial transactions connected to Duque and his operations.

"Washington reiterates its demand for foreign parties to stop giving funding and arms to the warring parties," the agency announced.

Expert Analysis

An expert, from a conflict think tank, labeled the measures as a "highly important" milestone, stating that "calling out those who are doing the contracting is the proper strategy".

It was also noted that, Colombia has enacted a law approving the global treaty against mercenarism, aiming to curb years of participation by its nationals in international fights and reshape national security policy.

Sean McFate, a authority on private military contractors, urged more caution, noting that "restrictions are needed but not enough for addressing rampant mercenarism".

"It’s an illicit economy and based out of the UAE, which is difficult to penalize," he stated. The UAE has been repeatedly implicated of arming the RSF, claims it rejects. "Expect more Colombian mercenaries," the expert cautioned.