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The Washington has levied restrictions on a group of several persons and entities alleged of hiring South American contractors to fight for and train a Sudanese paramilitary group which the US alleges of acts of genocide.

Group Makeup

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

Scores of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been recruited to go to Sudan to operate with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a faction accused of severe violations including ethnically targeted slaughter and widespread kidnappings.

Emergence of Involvement

The involvement of Colombian fighters was first uncovered last year, following an inquiry which revealed that over three hundred ex-military personnel had been hired to engage in combat – an discovery that led to an unusual statement of regret from officials in Bogotá.

Former Colombian military have historically been seen as among the world’s most sought-after mercenaries due to their considerable warzone knowledge resulting from decades of civil war, knowledge of Western military gear, and high-level combat training.

Reported Actions

In the Sudanese theater, the mercenaries have been accused of teaching underage fighters, instructed militiamen in drone operation, and engaged in frontline combat. A mercenary remarked that training children was "horrific and irrational" but added that "sadly, that is the nature of conflict".

Sanctioned Individuals

Among those sanctioned was Álvaro Andrés Quijano Becerra, a dual Colombian-Italian national and former army officer operating from the Dubai. The Treasury alleged he played a pivotal function in hiring and sending mercenaries to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Oliveros, was also sanctioned.

Also on the sanctions list was Mateo Duque Botero, a dual Colombian-Spanish citizen who officials alleged ran a firm accused of handling funds and payroll for the scheme. "In 2024 and 2025, companies in the United States associated with Duque conducted several money transfers, amounting to millions," the official announcement stated.

Colombian national Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the fourth individual to be sanctioned, with the company she managed alleged to have money transfers connected to Duque and his companies.

"The US once more urges foreign parties to halt the flow of monetary and weaponry aid to the warring parties," the Treasury announced.

Analyst Commentary

Elizabeth Dickinson, with the International Crisis Group, called the actions as a "major" milestone, stating that "targeting the enablers is the proper strategy".

Furthermore, Bogotá recently passed a piece of legislation ratifying the anti-mercenary convention, seeking to reduce decades of Colombian involvement in overseas wars and transform domestic defense strategy.

A mercenary specialist, an expert on mercenaries, called for greater wariness, stating that "penalties are required yet incomplete for combating widespread use of contractors".

"It operates in the black market and operating from Dubai, which is difficult to penalize," he stated. The Emirati government has been repeatedly implicated of arming the RSF, claims it rejects. "More contractors from Colombia are likely," he advised.