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The Washington has imposed sanctions on a operation of four people and four firms accused of hiring former Colombian soldiers to combat alongside and instruct a armed faction in Sudan which the US alleges of acts of genocide.

Operation Structure

Disclosing the measures on Tuesday, the US Treasury Department stated the operation was largely composed of Colombian nationals and companies.

Scores of ex-soldiers from Colombia have reportedly travelled to Sudan to operate with the RSF paramilitary group, a force implicated in severe violations including ethnically targeted slaughter and widespread kidnappings.

Revelation of Role

The participation of ex-soldiers initially emerged in 2024, after an investigation which disclosed that over three hundred ex-military personnel had been contracted to engage in combat – an revelation that led to an unusual statement of regret from officials in Bogotá.

Colombian ex-soldiers have historically been seen as highly prized fighters in conflict zones due to their extensive battlefield experience gleaned from decades of civil war, knowledge of advanced weaponry, and high-level combat training.

Activities in Sudan

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

Targeted Persons

Among those targeted was Álvaro Andrés Quijano Becerra, a dual Colombian-Italian national and former army officer located in the United Arab Emirates. The US authorities accused him a pivotal function in hiring and sending former Colombian soldiers to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Oliveros, was penalized as well.

Also on the restricted list was Duque Botero, a individual with Colombian and Spanish citizenship who the Treasury stated ran a firm accused of managing finances and payments for the network. "Recently, US-based firms associated with Duque carried out several money transfers, amounting to millions," the government release said.

Individual Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the fourth individual to be sanctioned, with the firm she operated alleged to have wire transfers associated with Duque and his operations.

"The US once more urges outside forces to halt the flow of funding and arms to the combatants," the Treasury said in a statement.

Analyst Commentary

A senior analyst, senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, called the sanctions as a "highly important" development, saying that "calling out those who are doing the contracting is the proper strategy".

Furthermore, the Colombian government has enacted a law ratifying the global treaty against mercenarism, designed to limit years of participation by its nationals in international fights and transform its security approach.

Another expert, a scholar on the subject, called for greater wariness, noting that "penalties are required yet incomplete for addressing the growing mercenary trade".

"It’s an illicit economy and based out of Dubai, which is relatively sanction-proof," he said. The UAE has been widely accused of supplying weapons to the paramilitary group, allegations it disputes. "Expect more Colombian mercenaries," he advised.