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The United States has enforced penalties on a network of four people and four firms charged of enlisting South American contractors to fight for and train a militia force in Sudan that Washington accuses of acts of genocide.

Group Makeup

Revealing the sanctions on Tuesday, the Treasury stated the network was mostly comprised of Colombian citizens and firms.

Scores of former Colombian military personnel have reportedly travelled to Sudan to fight alongside the Sudanese RSF militia, a force accused of horrific war crimes including massacres based on ethnicity and large-scale abductions.

Emergence of Involvement

The participation of ex-soldiers first came to light the previous year, prompted by an report which revealed that over three hundred retired troops had been contracted to participate in the war – an discovery that prompted an unprecedented apology from officials in Bogotá.

Colombian ex-soldiers have long been considered as some of the most in-demand contractors globally due to their considerable warzone knowledge gleaned from a long-running domestic war, familiarity with advanced weaponry, and superior tactical education.

Reported Actions

In Sudan, the contractors have been accused of teaching minors, instructed militiamen in drone operation, and fought directly on the frontlines. One source previously stated that training children was "awful and crazy" but noted that "unfortunately that’s how war is".

Targeted Persons

Among those sanctioned was Álvaro Andrés Quijano Becerra, a dual Colombian-Italian national and ex-soldier operating from the Dubai. The government accused him a pivotal function in enlisting and transporting former Colombian soldiers to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Oliveros, was similarly targeted.

Also on the penalty list was Mateo Duque Botero, a individual with Colombian and Spanish citizenship who the Treasury stated managed a business accused of managing finances and payments for the network. "In 2024 and 2025, American entities associated with Duque conducted multiple financial transactions, amounting to millions," the Treasury statement said.

Colombian national Mónica Muñoz was the fourth individual to be penalized, with the company she managed alleged to have financial transactions connected to Duque and his businesses.

"The United States again calls on external actors to cease providing monetary and weaponry aid to the belligerents," the department announced.

Expert Analysis

An expert, with the International Crisis Group, described the sanctions as a "highly important" milestone, noting that "targeting the enablers is the correct approach".

It was also noted that, Colombia has enacted a statute approving the anti-mercenary convention, aiming to curb decades of Colombian involvement in overseas wars and transform national security policy.

A mercenary specialist, a scholar on the subject, advised additional measures, saying that "sanctions are necessary but insufficient for addressing rampant mercenarism".

"It’s an illicit economy and operating from the UAE, which is largely insulated from sanctions," he commented. The United Arab Emirates has been frequently alleged of providing arms to the militia, an accusation it has denied. "This trend will probably continue," McFate warned.