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The Washington has enforced penalties on a network of four people and four firms charged of enlisting South American contractors to combat alongside and instruct a armed faction in Sudan the United States claims of committing genocide.

Network Composition

Revealing the measures on Tuesday, the US Treasury Department stated the scheme was primarily made up of Colombian nationals and companies.

Scores of former Colombian military personnel have reportedly travelled to the conflict in Sudan to fight alongside the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a faction accused of severe violations including massacres based on ethnicity and large-scale abductions.

Revelation of Role

The role of these mercenaries was first uncovered the previous year, after an report which revealed that more than 300 former soldiers had been recruited to fight – an event that resulted in an unprecedented apology from officials in Bogotá.

These South American veterans have widely regarded as some of the most in-demand contractors globally due to their considerable warzone knowledge gleaned from a long-running domestic war, familiarity with Western military gear, and elite military instruction.

Activities in Sudan

In Sudan, the Colombians have reportedly trained child soldiers, provided drone warfare training, and engaged in frontline combat. One source was quoted as saying that training children was "horrific and irrational" but commented that "regrettably, war operates that way".

Named Entities

Among those sanctioned was Álvaro Andrés Quijano Becerra, a citizen of both Colombia and Italy and former army officer based in the UAE. The US authorities alleged he played a pivotal function in hiring and sending ex-military personnel to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Oliveros, was similarly targeted.

Also on the sanctions list was Mateo Duque Botero, a dual Colombian-Spanish citizen who officials alleged oversaw a company linked to processing money and salaries for the scheme. "In 2024 and 2025, American entities linked to Duque conducted multiple financial transactions, worth millions," the Treasury statement said.

Individual Mónica Muñoz was the other individual to be penalized, with the entity she oversaw accused of financial transactions associated with Duque and his operations.

"Washington reiterates its demand for outside forces to cease providing financial and military support to the warring parties," the Treasury announced.

Expert Analysis

Elizabeth Dickinson, senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, labeled the actions as a "major" milestone, noting that "calling out those who are doing the contracting is the correct approach".

She added that, the Colombian government has enacted a law approving the International Convention Against the Recruitment and Use of Mercenaries, designed to limit decades of Colombian involvement in international fights and reshape its security approach.

Another expert, a scholar on the subject, called for greater wariness, stating that "sanctions are necessary but insufficient for dealing with rampant mercenarism".

"This is a shadow economy and based out of Dubai, which is largely insulated from sanctions," he commented. The Emirati government has been frequently alleged of providing arms to the militia, allegations it disputes. "More contractors from Colombia are likely," he advised.