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The Washington has imposed sanctions on a operation of four individuals and four companies charged of enlisting former Colombian soldiers to combat alongside and instruct a militia force in Sudan which the US alleges of genocidal acts.

Operation Structure

Announcing the restrictions on this week, the American treasury stated the network was largely composed of Colombian nationals and companies.

Hundreds of former Colombian military personnel have been recruited to go to Sudan to fight alongside the Sudanese RSF militia, a faction implicated in severe violations encompassing targeted ethnic killings and large-scale abductions.

Emergence of Involvement

The involvement of Colombian fighters was first uncovered last year, prompted by an report which disclosed that over three hundred retired troops had been contracted to engage in combat – an revelation that prompted an unusual statement of regret from officials in Bogotá.

Colombian ex-soldiers have long been considered as some of the most in-demand contractors globally due to their considerable warzone knowledge gleaned from years of internal conflict, training on Nato equipment, and superior tactical education.

Reported Actions

In the conflict, the Colombians have allegedly instructed child soldiers, instructed militiamen in drone operation, and participated in direct battles. An individual involved previously stated that training children was "horrific and irrational" but added that "unfortunately that’s how war is".

Named Entities

Among those penalized was Álvaro Andrés Quijano Becerra, a citizen of both Colombia and Italy and former army officer operating from the UAE. The US authorities accused him a key part in hiring and sending ex-military personnel to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was also sanctioned.

Also on the sanctions list was Mateo Andrés Duque Botero, a dual Colombian-Spanish citizen who authorities say ran a firm accused of managing finances and payments for the scheme. "In 2024 and 2025, American entities linked to Duque conducted numerous wire transfers, amounting to millions," the Treasury statement said.

Individual Mónica Muñoz was the other individual to be penalized, with the firm she operated accused of wire transfers associated with Duque and his companies.

"Washington reiterates its demand for external actors to halt the flow of funding and arms to the combatants," the Treasury said in a statement.

Analyst Commentary

Elizabeth Dickinson, from a conflict think tank, labeled the measures as a "very significant" development, saying that "calling out those who are doing the contracting is the proper strategy".

It was also noted that, Colombia has enacted a law approving the International Convention Against the Recruitment and Use of Mercenaries, aiming to curb years of participation by its nationals in foreign conflicts and transform national security policy.

Another expert, a scholar on the subject, urged more caution, noting that "penalties are required yet incomplete for combating widespread use of contractors".

"It operates in the black market and based out of the UAE, which is largely insulated from sanctions," he commented. The UAE has been widely accused of providing arms to the militia, allegations it disputes. "Expect more Colombian mercenaries," McFate warned.