Washington Levies Penalties on Group Alleged of Recruiting Colombian Fighters to Sudan.

The Washington has levied restrictions on a operation of four people and four firms alleged of hiring former Colombian soldiers to support and educate a militia force in Sudan which the US alleges of committing genocide.

Operation Structure

Disclosing the restrictions on this week, the American treasury stated the scheme was largely composed of individuals and businesses from Colombia.

Scores of former Colombian military personnel have reportedly travelled to the Sudanese warzone to fight alongside the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a force implicated in terrible atrocities including targeted ethnic killings and large-scale abductions.

Emergence of Involvement

The role of these mercenaries first came to light in 2024, after an inquiry which found that hundreds of retired troops had been recruited to engage in combat – an revelation that prompted an unprecedented apology from the Colombian government.

Colombian ex-soldiers have long been considered as among the world’s most sought-after mercenaries due to their considerable warzone knowledge acquired during a long-running domestic war, training on Western military gear, and superior tactical education.

Role in the Conflict

In the conflict, the contractors have reportedly trained child soldiers, provided drone warfare training, and participated in direct battles. An individual involved previously stated that working with child soldiers was "awful and crazy" but added that "sadly, that is the nature of conflict".

Sanctioned Individuals

Among those penalized was Álvaro Andrés Quijano Becerra, a citizen of both Colombia and Italy and ex-soldier based in the UAE. The US authorities accused him a central role in hiring and sending former Colombian soldiers to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Oliveros, was also sanctioned.

Also on the restricted list was Duque Botero, a dual national who officials alleged managed a business accused of managing finances and payments for the network. "Recently, companies in the United States linked to Duque conducted several money transfers, amounting to millions," the Treasury statement stated.

Colombian national Mónica Muñoz was the final person to be penalized, with the firm she operated alleged to have financial transactions linked to Duque and his operations.

"Washington reiterates its demand for foreign parties to stop giving financial and military support to the belligerents," the agency announced.

Reaction

Elizabeth Dickinson, senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, described the actions as a "very significant" step, stating that "targeting the enablers is the correct approach".

Furthermore, Bogotá recently passed a statute ratifying the anti-mercenary convention, aiming to curb its citizens' long history in foreign conflicts and reshape national security policy.

Sean McFate, a scholar on the subject, called for greater wariness, noting that "restrictions are needed but not enough for addressing rampant mercenarism".

"This is a shadow economy and operating from the UAE, which is difficult to penalize," he stated. The United Arab Emirates has been frequently alleged of arming the RSF, allegations it disputes. "Expect more Colombian mercenaries," the expert cautioned.