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The United States has enforced penalties on a group of several persons and entities alleged of hiring former Colombian soldiers to combat alongside and instruct a Sudanese paramilitary group which the US alleges of genocidal acts.

Group Makeup

Announcing the restrictions on Tuesday, the Treasury stated the network was largely composed of individuals and businesses from Colombia.

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

Revelation of Role

The participation of ex-soldiers initially emerged in 2024, following an report which found that over three hundred former soldiers had been hired to fight – an revelation that led to an rare mea culpa from the Colombian government.

These South American veterans have long been considered as among the world’s most sought-after mercenaries due to their considerable warzone knowledge acquired during years of internal conflict, knowledge of Nato equipment, and superior tactical education.

Reported Actions

In the Sudanese theater, the contractors have allegedly instructed underage fighters, taught fighters to pilot drones, and fought directly on the frontlines. One source previously stated that instructing minors was "awful and crazy" but added that "regrettably, war operates that way".

Sanctioned Individuals

Among those targeted was Álvaro Andrés Quijano Becerra, a dual Colombian-Italian national and retired Colombian military officer located in the United Arab Emirates. The Treasury said he had a key part in hiring and sending ex-military personnel to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was similarly targeted.

Also on the sanctions list was Mateo Andrés Duque Botero, a dual national who officials alleged ran a firm accused of handling funds and payroll for the scheme. "Over the past two years, companies in the United States linked to Duque conducted numerous wire transfers, amounting to millions," the official announcement stated.

Colombian national Mónica Muñoz was the fourth individual to be targeted, with the company she managed said to have conducted money transfers linked to Duque and his companies.

"The United States again calls on outside forces to halt the flow of funding and arms to the combatants," the agency said in a statement.

Reaction

Elizabeth Dickinson, with the International Crisis Group, labeled the actions as a "highly important" milestone, noting that "targeting the enablers is the proper strategy".

Furthermore, Colombia has enacted a law ratifying the International Convention Against the Recruitment and Use of Mercenaries, aiming to curb years of participation by its nationals in overseas wars and change domestic defense strategy.

A mercenary specialist, a authority on private military contractors, urged more caution, noting that "restrictions are needed but not enough for addressing rampant mercenarism".

"This is a shadow economy and centered in Dubai, which is difficult to penalize," he commented. The UAE has been repeatedly implicated of supplying weapons to the paramilitary group, allegations it disputes. "More contractors from Colombia are likely," McFate warned.