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The US government has levied restrictions on a operation of four people and four firms alleged of recruiting former Colombian soldiers to support and educate a militia force in Sudan that Washington accuses of genocidal acts.

Group Makeup

Announcing the restrictions on this week, the US Treasury Department stated the network was mostly comprised of individuals and businesses from Colombia.

Scores of former Colombian military personnel have reportedly travelled to the Sudanese warzone to operate with the RSF paramilitary group, a force accused of terrible atrocities encompassing ethnically targeted slaughter and widespread kidnappings.

Discovery of Participation

The involvement of Colombian fighters initially emerged in 2024, prompted by an report which revealed that more than 300 retired troops had been hired to participate in the war – an revelation that resulted in an unprecedented apology from the Colombian government.

Former Colombian military have widely regarded as some of the most in-demand contractors globally due to their considerable warzone knowledge acquired during a long-running domestic war, training on Nato equipment, and elite military instruction.

Role in the Conflict

In the Sudanese theater, the mercenaries have allegedly instructed underage fighters, instructed militiamen in drone operation, and participated in direct battles. A mercenary remarked that instructing minors was "horrific and irrational" but added that "unfortunately that’s how war is".

Named Entities

Among those targeted was Álvaro Andrés Quijano Becerra, a dual Colombian-Italian national and former army officer based in the Dubai. The US authorities accused him a key part in enlisting and transporting mercenaries to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Oliveros, was similarly targeted.

Also on the restricted list was Mateo Duque Botero, a individual with Colombian and Spanish citizenship who officials alleged ran a firm linked to handling funds and payroll for the network. "In 2024 and 2025, companies in the United States connected to Duque engaged in numerous wire transfers, worth millions," the government release noted.

Individual Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the fourth individual to be sanctioned, with the firm she operated accused of wire transfers linked to Duque and his businesses.

"The United States again calls on outside forces to cease providing financial and military support to the warring parties," the agency announced.

Analyst Commentary

Elizabeth Dickinson, from a conflict think tank, called the sanctions as a "highly important" development, saying that "calling out those who are doing the contracting is the proper strategy".

She added that, Bogotá has enacted a piece of legislation ratifying the global treaty against mercenarism, seeking to reduce its citizens' long history in overseas wars and transform its security approach.

Sean McFate, a scholar on the subject, called for greater wariness, saying that "sanctions are necessary but insufficient for addressing rampant mercenarism".

"It’s an illicit economy and operating from the Emirates, which is difficult to penalize," he said. The Emirati government has been repeatedly implicated of supplying weapons to the paramilitary group, an accusation it has denied. "More contractors from Colombia are likely," he advised.