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The Washington has imposed sanctions on a operation of four individuals and four companies accused of recruiting Colombian mercenaries to support and educate a Sudanese paramilitary group which the US alleges of committing genocide.

Group Makeup

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

Hundreds of former Colombian military personnel have been recruited to go to Sudan to fight alongside the Sudanese RSF militia, a force accused of severe violations encompassing ethnically targeted slaughter and mass abductions.

Discovery of Participation

The involvement of Colombian fighters first came to light in 2024, after an report which revealed that over three hundred ex-military personnel had been contracted to engage in combat – an discovery that resulted in an unprecedented apology from the Colombian government.

These South American veterans have historically been seen as among the world’s most sought-after mercenaries due to their considerable warzone knowledge acquired during years of internal conflict, knowledge of Western military gear, and superior tactical education.

Activities in Sudan

In Sudan, the mercenaries have been accused of teaching child soldiers, provided drone warfare training, and participated in direct battles. An individual involved previously stated that working with child soldiers was "terrible and insane" but commented that "regrettably, war operates that way".

Named Entities

Among those sanctioned was Álvaro Andrés Quijano Becerra, a individual with dual citizenship and retired Colombian military officer located in the Dubai. The government said he had a central role in recruiting and deploying mercenaries to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was similarly targeted.

Also on the penalty list was Mateo Andrés Duque Botero, a dual Colombian-Spanish citizen who authorities say ran a firm linked to processing money and salaries for the recruitment operation. "In 2024 and 2025, companies in the United States associated with Duque engaged in several money transfers, totalling millions of US dollars," the official announcement noted.

Colombian national Mónica Muñoz was the final person to be sanctioned, with the firm she operated accused of financial transactions associated with Duque and his operations.

"The United States again calls on external actors to cease providing financial and military support to the belligerents," the agency announced.

Expert Analysis

Elizabeth Dickinson, from a conflict think tank, described the sanctions as a "highly important" development, noting that "calling out those who are doing the contracting is the proper strategy".

Furthermore, Colombia recently passed 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 international fights and reshape domestic defense strategy.

Sean McFate, a authority on private military contractors, called for greater wariness, noting that "penalties are required yet incomplete for addressing widespread use of contractors".

"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, claims it rejects. "Expect more Colombian mercenaries," McFate warned.