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The US government has enforced penalties on a network of four individuals and four companies charged of recruiting South American contractors to combat alongside and instruct a Sudanese paramilitary group which the US alleges of genocidal acts.

Group Makeup

Revealing the sanctions on this week, the American treasury stated the network was largely composed of Colombian nationals and companies.

Hundreds of retired Colombian troops have allegedly journeyed to Sudan to combat beside the RSF paramilitary group, a group implicated in terrible atrocities encompassing targeted ethnic killings and widespread kidnappings.

Discovery of Participation

The role of these mercenaries initially emerged in 2024, after an investigation which disclosed that hundreds of former soldiers had been hired to participate in the war – an event that prompted an rare mea culpa from the Colombian government.

Colombian ex-soldiers have historically been seen as among the world’s most sought-after mercenaries due to their considerable warzone knowledge acquired during a long-running domestic war, familiarity with advanced weaponry, and high-level combat training.

Reported Actions

In Sudan, the Colombians have been accused of teaching underage fighters, provided drone warfare training, and fought directly on the frontlines. An individual involved remarked that instructing minors was "horrific and irrational" but noted that "sadly, that is the nature of conflict".

Named Entities

Among those targeted was Álvaro Andrés Quijano Becerra, a individual with dual citizenship and retired Colombian military officer located in the UAE. The government said he had a pivotal function in recruiting and deploying former Colombian soldiers to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was also sanctioned.

Also on the restricted list was Duque Botero, a dual national who officials alleged managed a business implicated in handling funds and payroll for the recruitment operation. "In 2024 and 2025, US-based firms connected to Duque conducted several money transfers, worth millions," the government release stated.

Colombian national Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the other individual to be penalized, with the company she managed accused of money transfers connected to Duque and his operations.

"The US once more urges foreign parties to halt the flow of funding and arms to the belligerents," the department said in a statement.

Reaction

A senior analyst, from a conflict think tank, described the sanctions as a "highly important" step, noting that "identifying the recruiters is the right way to go".

It was also noted that, the Colombian government ratified a piece of legislation endorsing the anti-mercenary convention, aiming to curb years of participation by its nationals in foreign conflicts and reshape its security approach.

Another expert, a authority on private military contractors, advised additional measures, stating that "sanctions are necessary but insufficient for combating widespread use of contractors".

"This is a shadow economy and operating from the Emirates, which is largely insulated from sanctions," he stated. The UAE has been frequently alleged of supplying weapons to the paramilitary group, allegations it disputes. "More contractors from Colombia are likely," the expert cautioned.