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The Washington has imposed sanctions on a network of several persons and entities charged of recruiting Colombian mercenaries to fight for and train a Sudanese paramilitary group that Washington accuses of committing genocide.

Operation Structure

Announcing the restrictions on this week, the US Treasury Department stated the scheme was mostly comprised of Colombian citizens and firms.

Numerous of ex-soldiers from Colombia have reportedly travelled to Sudan to operate with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a group implicated in terrible atrocities such as ethnically targeted slaughter and mass abductions.

Revelation of Role

The role of these mercenaries first came to light in 2024, after an investigation which revealed that over three hundred former soldiers had been recruited to participate in the war – an revelation that led to an unusual statement of regret from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

Colombian ex-soldiers have long been considered as among the world’s most sought-after mercenaries due to their vast combat experience resulting from decades of civil war, familiarity with Western military gear, and superior tactical education.

Role in the Conflict

In the conflict, the Colombians have allegedly instructed minors, taught fighters to pilot drones, and engaged in frontline combat. An individual involved previously stated that training children was "horrific and irrational" but noted that "sadly, that is the nature of conflict".

Sanctioned Individuals

Among those targeted was Álvaro Andrés Quijano Becerra, a individual with dual citizenship and former army officer based in the UAE. The US authorities alleged he played a key part in hiring and sending mercenaries to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Oliveros, was similarly targeted.

Also on the sanctions list was Mateo Andrés Duque Botero, a dual national who the Treasury stated ran a firm accused of managing finances and payments for the network. "Over the past two years, US-based firms associated with Duque carried out several money transfers, worth millions," the official announcement noted.

Citizen of Colombia Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the fourth individual to be targeted, with the company she managed alleged to have financial transactions linked to Duque and his businesses.

"The US once more urges external actors to cease providing financial and military support to the warring parties," the department announced.

Expert Analysis

A senior analyst, senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, described the sanctions as a "major" milestone, stating that "targeting the enablers is the right way to go".

It was also noted that, Bogotá has enacted a statute approving the International Convention Against the Recruitment and Use of Mercenaries, aiming to curb its citizens' long history in overseas wars and transform national security policy.

A mercenary specialist, an expert on mercenaries, urged more caution, saying that "restrictions are needed but not enough for combating the growing mercenary trade".

"This is a shadow economy and centered in Dubai, which is relatively sanction-proof," he stated. The United Arab Emirates has been repeatedly implicated of arming the RSF, an accusation it has denied. "This trend will probably continue," the expert cautioned.