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The US government has imposed sanctions on a operation of four individuals and four companies accused of hiring South American contractors to fight for and train a militia force in Sudan which the US alleges of committing genocide.

Network Composition

Announcing the measures on Tuesday, the Treasury stated the scheme was primarily made up of Colombian citizens and firms.

Scores of former Colombian military personnel have allegedly journeyed to Sudan to operate with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a group accused of severe violations such as massacres based on ethnicity and mass abductions.

Discovery of Participation

The role of these mercenaries initially emerged in 2024, following an report which disclosed that over three hundred retired troops had been hired to engage in combat – an event that prompted an unprecedented apology from officials in Bogotá.

Former Colombian military have long been considered as some of the most in-demand contractors globally due to their considerable warzone knowledge acquired during years of internal conflict, knowledge of advanced weaponry, and high-level combat training.

Activities in Sudan

In the conflict, the mercenaries have allegedly instructed underage fighters, provided drone warfare training, and participated in direct battles. A mercenary was quoted as saying that training children was "horrific and irrational" but commented that "regrettably, war operates that way".

Named Entities

Among those penalized was Álvaro Andrés Quijano Becerra, a citizen of both Colombia and Italy and ex-soldier located in the United Arab Emirates. The Treasury said he had a pivotal function in recruiting and deploying mercenaries to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was similarly targeted.

Also on the restricted list was Duque Botero, a dual national who officials alleged oversaw a company linked to handling funds and payroll for the scheme. "Over the past two years, US-based firms associated with Duque carried out numerous wire transfers, totalling millions of US dollars," the government release stated.

Colombian national Mónica Muñoz was the fourth individual to be penalized, with the entity she oversaw accused of wire transfers associated with Duque and his operations.

"The US once more urges outside forces to stop giving funding and arms to the belligerents," the Treasury stated.

Expert Analysis

Elizabeth Dickinson, senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, labeled the actions as a "very significant" milestone, stating that "targeting the enablers is the proper strategy".

She added that, Colombia has enacted a piece of legislation approving the International Convention Against the Recruitment and Use of Mercenaries, seeking to reduce decades of Colombian involvement in overseas wars and change domestic defense strategy.

Sean McFate, an expert on mercenaries, called for greater wariness, saying that "sanctions are necessary but insufficient for dealing with rampant mercenarism".

"It operates in the black market and based out of Dubai, which is largely insulated from sanctions," he commented. The United Arab Emirates has been widely accused of supplying weapons to the paramilitary group, allegations it disputes. "More contractors from Colombia are likely," the expert cautioned.