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The Washington has imposed sanctions on a operation of four people and four firms charged of hiring South American contractors to combat alongside and instruct a militia force in Sudan that Washington accuses of committing genocide.

Operation Structure

Announcing the sanctions on Tuesday, the Treasury stated the operation was primarily made up of Colombian citizens and firms.

Numerous of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been recruited to go to the Sudanese warzone to combat beside the Sudanese RSF militia, a group linked to severe violations such as targeted ethnic killings and large-scale abductions.

Emergence of Involvement

The involvement of Colombian fighters was first uncovered in 2024, prompted by an inquiry which found that over three hundred former soldiers had been contracted to fight – an revelation that prompted an unusual statement of regret from officials in Bogotá.

Colombian ex-soldiers have widely regarded as among the world’s most sought-after mercenaries due to their vast combat experience gleaned from years of internal conflict, familiarity with Nato equipment, and high-level combat training.

Activities in Sudan

In Sudan, the contractors have been accused of teaching child soldiers, taught fighters to pilot drones, and fought directly on the frontlines. An individual involved previously stated that working with child soldiers was "awful and crazy" but commented that "sadly, that is the nature of conflict".

Targeted Persons

Among those penalized was Álvaro Andrés Quijano Becerra, a citizen of both Colombia and Italy and retired Colombian military officer operating from the United Arab Emirates. The government accused him a central role in recruiting and deploying ex-military personnel to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was also sanctioned.

Also on the penalty list was Mateo Andrés Duque Botero, a dual Colombian-Spanish citizen who officials alleged oversaw a company accused of handling funds and payroll for the scheme. "In 2024 and 2025, US-based firms associated with Duque engaged in multiple financial transactions, worth millions," the Treasury statement noted.

Citizen of Colombia Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the fourth individual to be penalized, with the company she managed alleged to have wire transfers connected to Duque and his businesses.

"The US once more urges foreign parties to cease providing financial and military support to the warring parties," the agency said in a statement.

Reaction

A senior analyst, from a conflict think tank, labeled the measures as a "major" milestone, stating that "identifying the recruiters is the right way to go".

It was also noted that, the Colombian government has enacted a statute ratifying the anti-mercenary convention, designed to limit its citizens' long history in foreign conflicts and transform domestic defense strategy.

Another expert, a scholar on the subject, called for greater wariness, saying that "penalties are required yet incomplete for addressing rampant mercenarism".

"It operates in the black market and centered in the Emirates, which is relatively sanction-proof," he said. The United Arab Emirates has been repeatedly implicated of arming the RSF, claims it rejects. "This trend will probably continue," he advised.