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The US government has enforced penalties on a operation of several persons and entities alleged of recruiting former Colombian soldiers to support and educate a armed faction in Sudan that Washington accuses of genocidal acts.

Operation Structure

Announcing the measures on Tuesday, the Treasury stated the operation was mostly comprised of individuals and businesses from Colombia.

Hundreds of ex-soldiers from Colombia have allegedly journeyed to the Sudanese warzone to combat beside the Sudanese RSF militia, a force implicated in horrific war crimes such as massacres based on ethnicity and large-scale abductions.

Emergence of Involvement

The involvement of Colombian fighters first came to light in 2024, prompted by an investigation which found that over three hundred retired troops had been hired to engage in combat – an discovery that resulted in an rare mea culpa from officials in Bogotá.

Former Colombian military have widely regarded as among the world’s most sought-after mercenaries due to their vast combat experience resulting from decades of civil war, training on advanced weaponry, and elite military instruction.

Reported Actions

In Sudan, the contractors have been accused of teaching underage fighters, provided drone warfare training, and engaged in frontline combat. An individual involved previously stated that instructing minors was "terrible and insane" but commented that "sadly, that is the nature of conflict".

Targeted Persons

Among those sanctioned was Álvaro Andrés Quijano Becerra, a dual Colombian-Italian national and former army officer operating from the United Arab Emirates. The US authorities alleged he played a central role in hiring and sending mercenaries to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was also sanctioned.

Also on the restricted list was Mateo Duque Botero, a dual Colombian-Spanish citizen who officials alleged managed a business linked to handling funds and payroll for the recruitment operation. "Recently, US-based firms connected to Duque conducted multiple financial transactions, amounting to millions," the Treasury statement stated.

Colombian national Mónica Muñoz was the fourth individual to be targeted, with the entity she oversaw accused of financial transactions connected to Duque and his businesses.

"Washington reiterates its demand for foreign parties to cease providing monetary and weaponry aid to the combatants," the agency stated.

Expert Analysis

An expert, from a conflict think tank, called the sanctions as a "major" milestone, saying that "targeting the enablers is the right way to go".

She added that, the Colombian government ratified a piece of legislation approving the International Convention Against the Recruitment and Use of Mercenaries, designed to limit years of participation by its nationals in foreign conflicts and change national security policy.

Another expert, a scholar on the subject, advised additional measures, noting that "penalties are required yet incomplete for combating rampant mercenarism".

"It’s an illicit economy and operating from the UAE, which is largely insulated from sanctions," he said. The UAE has been repeatedly implicated of providing arms to the militia, an accusation it has denied. "Expect more Colombian mercenaries," McFate warned.