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The United States has enforced penalties on a group of several persons and entities alleged of enlisting Colombian mercenaries to combat alongside and instruct a armed faction in Sudan that Washington accuses of acts of genocide.

Group Makeup

Disclosing the measures on this week, the US Treasury Department stated the network was mostly comprised of Colombian nationals and companies.

Hundreds of former Colombian military personnel have been recruited to go to the conflict in Sudan to operate with the RSF paramilitary group, a faction accused of terrible atrocities such as ethnically targeted slaughter and widespread kidnappings.

Emergence of Involvement

The participation of ex-soldiers first came to light the previous year, after an investigation which found that hundreds of retired troops had been recruited to participate in the war – an revelation that led to an rare mea culpa from the Colombian government.

Former Colombian military have historically been seen as highly prized fighters in conflict zones due to their vast combat experience resulting from a long-running domestic war, training on Western military gear, and high-level combat training.

Reported Actions

In the Sudanese theater, the mercenaries have allegedly instructed underage fighters, taught fighters to pilot drones, and participated in direct battles. A mercenary previously stated that working with child soldiers was "awful and crazy" but commented that "sadly, that is the nature of conflict".

Sanctioned Individuals

Among those targeted was Álvaro Andrés Quijano Becerra, a dual Colombian-Italian national and ex-soldier located in the United Arab Emirates. The Treasury said he had a central role in recruiting and deploying mercenaries to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Oliveros, was penalized as well.

Also on the penalty list was Mateo Andrés Duque Botero, a individual with Colombian and Spanish citizenship who officials alleged oversaw a company implicated in managing finances and payments for the recruitment operation. "In 2024 and 2025, US-based firms associated with Duque engaged in numerous wire transfers, totalling millions of US dollars," the official announcement stated.

Individual Mónica Muñoz was the other individual to be penalized, with the entity she oversaw said to have conducted money transfers associated with Duque and his companies.

"The United States again calls on external actors to halt the flow of monetary and weaponry aid to the belligerents," the Treasury said in a statement.

Analyst Commentary

A senior analyst, from a conflict think tank, described the actions as a "very significant" step, saying that "identifying the recruiters is the proper strategy".

It was also noted that, Colombia recently passed a law endorsing the anti-mercenary convention, aiming to curb decades of Colombian involvement in overseas wars and reshape domestic defense strategy.

Sean McFate, an expert on mercenaries, urged more caution, stating that "penalties are required yet incomplete for combating the growing mercenary trade".

"It’s an illicit economy and centered in the Emirates, which is difficult to penalize," he said. The Emirati government has been frequently alleged of providing arms to the militia, claims it rejects. "This trend will probably continue," McFate warned.