🔗 Share this article

The US government has imposed sanctions on a operation of several persons and entities charged of enlisting former Colombian soldiers to support and educate a armed faction in Sudan that Washington accuses of acts of genocide.

Network Composition

Revealing the measures on Tuesday, the American treasury stated the operation was largely composed of Colombian nationals and companies.

Scores of former Colombian military personnel have been recruited to go to the Sudanese warzone to combat beside the RSF paramilitary group, a faction linked to horrific war crimes including targeted ethnic killings and mass abductions.

Emergence of Involvement

The involvement of Colombian fighters was first uncovered the previous year, prompted by an investigation which found that more than 300 retired troops had been recruited to participate in the war – an event that prompted an unprecedented apology from officials in Bogotá.

Former Colombian military have long been considered as among the world’s most sought-after mercenaries due to their extensive battlefield experience acquired during decades of civil war, familiarity with advanced weaponry, and superior tactical education.

Reported Actions

In Sudan, the Colombians have reportedly trained minors, instructed militiamen in drone operation, and participated in direct battles. An individual involved remarked that working with child soldiers was "horrific and irrational" but noted that "sadly, that is the nature of conflict".

Targeted Persons

Among those sanctioned was Álvaro Andrés Quijano Becerra, a dual Colombian-Italian national and former army officer based in the United Arab Emirates. The government said he had a key part in recruiting and deploying ex-military personnel to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was similarly targeted.

Also on the penalty list was Duque Botero, a individual with Colombian and Spanish citizenship who the Treasury stated ran a firm accused of managing finances and payments for the recruitment operation. "In 2024 and 2025, companies in the United States associated with Duque conducted numerous wire transfers, totalling millions of US dollars," the government release said.

Colombian national Mónica Muñoz was the final person to be targeted, with the company she managed accused of money transfers associated with Duque and his operations.

"Washington reiterates its demand for foreign parties to stop giving financial and military support to the combatants," the department announced.

Expert Analysis

Elizabeth Dickinson, with the International Crisis Group, described the measures as a "very significant" development, stating that "targeting the enablers is the right way to go".

She added that, Colombia ratified a statute ratifying the global treaty against mercenarism, seeking to reduce decades of Colombian involvement in international fights and reshape its security approach.

Another expert, an expert on mercenaries, called for greater wariness, saying that "restrictions are needed but not enough for dealing with the growing mercenary trade".

"It’s an illicit economy and based out of Dubai, which is largely insulated from sanctions," he stated. The Emirati government has been widely accused of supplying weapons to the paramilitary group, claims it rejects. "More contractors from Colombia are likely," McFate warned.