🔗 Share this article

The Washington has imposed sanctions on a operation of several persons and entities accused of hiring former Colombian soldiers to support and educate a armed faction in Sudan the United States claims of genocidal acts.

Operation Structure

Disclosing the sanctions on Tuesday, the American treasury stated the operation was largely composed of individuals and businesses from Colombia.

Hundreds of former Colombian military personnel have allegedly journeyed to the Sudanese warzone to operate with the Sudanese RSF militia, a group accused of terrible atrocities such as ethnically targeted slaughter and widespread kidnappings.

Revelation of Role

The participation of ex-soldiers initially emerged last year, prompted by an inquiry which revealed that more than 300 former soldiers had been hired to engage in combat – an event that prompted an unprecedented apology from the Colombian government.

Former Colombian military have historically been seen as some of the most in-demand contractors globally due to their vast combat experience gleaned from decades of civil war, training on Nato equipment, and elite military instruction.

Reported Actions

In the conflict, the mercenaries have allegedly instructed underage fighters, instructed militiamen in drone operation, and engaged in frontline combat. One source remarked that instructing minors was "awful and crazy" but commented that "regrettably, war operates that way".

Named Entities

Among those sanctioned was Álvaro Andrés Quijano Becerra, a individual with dual citizenship and ex-soldier operating from the UAE. The government accused him a pivotal function in enlisting and transporting ex-military personnel to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was also sanctioned.

Also on the penalty list was Mateo Andrés Duque Botero, a dual national who the Treasury stated ran a firm implicated in managing finances and payments for the recruitment operation. "In 2024 and 2025, companies in the United States connected to Duque carried out multiple financial transactions, amounting to millions," the government release said.

Individual Mónica Muñoz was the fourth individual to be sanctioned, with the company she managed alleged to have financial transactions associated with Duque and his operations.

"Washington reiterates its demand for external actors to stop giving financial and military support to the warring parties," the Treasury announced.

Expert Analysis

Elizabeth Dickinson, with the International Crisis Group, called the measures as a "highly important" step, saying that "targeting the enablers is the right way to go".

It was also noted that, Bogotá recently passed a piece of legislation endorsing the anti-mercenary convention, designed to limit its citizens' long history in foreign conflicts and reshape its security approach.

A mercenary specialist, an expert on mercenaries, advised additional measures, noting that "restrictions are needed but not enough for dealing with the growing mercenary trade".

"It operates in the black market and operating from the UAE, which is largely insulated from sanctions," he commented. The UAE has been repeatedly implicated of arming the RSF, an accusation it has denied. "More contractors from Colombia are likely," the expert cautioned.