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The Washington has enforced penalties on a operation of four people and four firms charged of enlisting South American contractors to combat alongside and instruct a armed faction in Sudan which the US alleges of committing genocide.

Group Makeup

Disclosing the sanctions on Tuesday, the American treasury stated the scheme was mostly comprised of Colombian citizens and firms.

Hundreds of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been recruited to go to Sudan to combat beside the RSF paramilitary group, a faction implicated in severe violations including ethnically targeted slaughter and mass abductions.

Emergence of Involvement

The participation of ex-soldiers first came to light in 2024, following an investigation which disclosed that more than 300 former soldiers had been hired to fight – an revelation that led to an unprecedented apology from officials in Bogotá.

Former Colombian military have long been considered as highly prized fighters in conflict zones due to their extensive battlefield experience gleaned from years of internal conflict, knowledge of Western military gear, and high-level combat training.

Reported Actions

In the conflict, the contractors have reportedly trained minors, instructed militiamen in drone operation, and participated in direct battles. A mercenary was quoted as saying that instructing minors was "terrible and insane" but added that "regrettably, war operates that way".

Sanctioned Individuals

Among those targeted was Álvaro Andrés Quijano Becerra, a citizen of both Colombia and Italy and retired Colombian military officer based in the United Arab Emirates. The Treasury said he had a central role in enlisting and transporting former Colombian soldiers to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Oliveros, was penalized as well.

Also on the penalty list was Mateo Andrés Duque Botero, a dual Colombian-Spanish citizen who officials alleged managed a business linked to managing finances and payments for the network. "In 2024 and 2025, companies in the United States connected to Duque carried out multiple financial transactions, totalling millions of US dollars," the official announcement said.

Colombian national Mónica Muñoz was the final person to be targeted, with the company she managed alleged to have money transfers connected to Duque and his companies.

"Washington reiterates its demand for foreign parties to stop giving monetary and weaponry aid to the warring parties," the department said in a statement.

Reaction

A senior analyst, with the International Crisis Group, called the measures as a "major" milestone, noting that "calling out those who are doing the contracting is the right way to go".

It was also noted that, Colombia recently passed a piece of legislation ratifying the global treaty against mercenarism, seeking to reduce decades of Colombian involvement in foreign conflicts and change its security approach.

Another expert, an expert on mercenaries, advised additional measures, stating that "penalties are required yet incomplete for addressing the growing mercenary trade".

"This is a shadow economy and based out of the Emirates, which is largely insulated from sanctions," he stated. The Emirati government has been frequently alleged of arming the RSF, allegations it disputes. "This trend will probably continue," he advised.