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The US government has enforced penalties on a network of several persons and entities alleged of recruiting former Colombian soldiers to support and educate a militia force in Sudan which the US alleges of committing genocide.

Group Makeup

Revealing the measures on this week, the American treasury stated the network was mostly comprised of individuals and businesses from Colombia.

Numerous of retired Colombian troops have been recruited to go to Sudan to fight alongside the RSF paramilitary group, a faction implicated in severe violations such as massacres based on ethnicity and large-scale abductions.

Emergence of Involvement

The involvement of Colombian fighters was first uncovered in 2024, prompted by an inquiry which revealed that hundreds of retired troops had been contracted to engage in combat – an discovery that resulted in an unusual statement of regret from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

Former Colombian military have historically been seen as among the world’s most sought-after mercenaries due to their extensive battlefield experience acquired during years of internal conflict, training on Western military gear, and superior tactical education.

Activities in Sudan

In Sudan, the contractors have been accused of teaching underage fighters, instructed militiamen in drone operation, and fought directly on the frontlines. An individual involved remarked that working with child soldiers was "terrible and insane" but noted that "unfortunately that’s how war is".

Targeted Persons

Among those penalized was Álvaro Andrés Quijano Becerra, a dual Colombian-Italian national and ex-soldier located in the UAE. The US authorities accused him a central role in hiring and sending former Colombian soldiers to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was similarly targeted.

Also on the sanctions list was Duque Botero, a individual with Colombian and Spanish citizenship who the Treasury stated ran a firm accused of handling funds and payroll for the recruitment operation. "Over the past two years, companies in the United States connected to Duque conducted numerous wire transfers, amounting to millions," the government release said.

Citizen of Colombia Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the final person to be targeted, with the company she managed said to have conducted money transfers linked to Duque and his companies.

"Washington reiterates its demand for external actors to halt the flow of financial and military support to the belligerents," the agency announced.

Expert Analysis

Elizabeth Dickinson, senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, described the sanctions as a "major" step, saying that "identifying the recruiters is the right way to go".

It was also noted that, the Colombian government recently passed a piece of legislation approving the International Convention Against the Recruitment and Use of Mercenaries, aiming to curb its citizens' long history in foreign conflicts and change its security approach.

Another expert, an expert on mercenaries, advised additional measures, stating that "restrictions are needed but not enough for dealing with widespread use of contractors".

"This is a shadow economy and based out of the Emirates, which is largely insulated from sanctions," he commented. The Emirati government has been frequently alleged of providing arms to the militia, allegations it disputes. "More contractors from Colombia are likely," he advised.