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The United States has levied restrictions on a group of four people and four firms alleged of hiring former Colombian soldiers to fight for and train a militia force in Sudan which the US alleges of committing genocide.

Group Makeup

Disclosing the sanctions on this week, the American treasury stated the scheme was primarily made up of individuals and businesses from Colombia.

Hundreds of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been recruited to go to the Sudanese warzone to operate with the RSF paramilitary group, a force linked to severe violations such as massacres based on ethnicity and widespread kidnappings.

Revelation of Role

The participation of ex-soldiers initially emerged last year, after an inquiry which found that hundreds of retired troops had been recruited to fight – an event that resulted in an rare mea culpa from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

Former Colombian military have widely regarded as among the world’s most sought-after mercenaries due to their extensive battlefield experience acquired during years of internal conflict, knowledge of advanced weaponry, and superior tactical education.

Reported Actions

In Sudan, the contractors have allegedly instructed underage fighters, provided drone warfare training, and engaged in frontline combat. An individual involved previously stated that training children was "horrific and irrational" but noted that "sadly, that is the nature of conflict".

Named Entities

Among those penalized was Álvaro Andrés Quijano Becerra, a citizen of both Colombia and Italy and former army officer based in the UAE. The Treasury accused him a central role in hiring and sending former Colombian soldiers to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Oliveros, was similarly targeted.

Also on the restricted list was Mateo Duque Botero, a dual national who the Treasury stated ran a firm implicated in processing money and salaries for the network. "In 2024 and 2025, US-based firms linked to Duque engaged in several money transfers, amounting to millions," the Treasury statement stated.

Colombian national Mónica Muñoz was the fourth individual to be targeted, with the firm she operated alleged to have wire transfers connected to Duque and his operations.

"The US once more urges external actors to stop giving funding and arms to the combatants," the Treasury stated.

Reaction

Elizabeth Dickinson, with the International Crisis Group, described the measures as a "highly important" step, saying that "targeting the enablers is the correct approach".

Furthermore, Bogotá ratified a law endorsing the International Convention Against the Recruitment and Use of Mercenaries, designed to limit its citizens' long history in overseas wars and change domestic defense strategy.

Sean McFate, an expert on mercenaries, advised additional measures, stating that "penalties are required yet incomplete for dealing with widespread use of contractors".

"It’s an illicit economy and centered in the UAE, which is largely insulated from sanctions," he commented. The UAE has been repeatedly implicated of supplying weapons to the paramilitary group, an accusation it has denied. "More contractors from Colombia are likely," he advised.