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The Washington has imposed sanctions on a network of several persons and entities charged of recruiting South American contractors to support and educate a Sudanese paramilitary group that Washington accuses of committing genocide.

Operation Structure

Revealing the restrictions on this week, the US Treasury Department stated the operation was largely composed of Colombian citizens and firms.

Hundreds of former Colombian military personnel have reportedly travelled to the conflict in Sudan to combat beside the RSF paramilitary group, a force implicated in severe violations such as ethnically targeted slaughter and mass abductions.

Revelation of Role

The involvement of Colombian fighters was first uncovered in 2024, following an report which revealed that hundreds of retired troops had been recruited to engage in combat – an discovery that resulted in an unprecedented apology from officials in Bogotá.

These South American veterans have widely regarded as among the world’s most sought-after mercenaries due to their vast combat experience gleaned from years of internal conflict, training on Western military gear, and elite military instruction.

Activities in Sudan

In the Sudanese theater, the mercenaries have allegedly instructed underage fighters, provided drone warfare training, and participated in direct battles. One source previously stated that working with child soldiers was "horrific and irrational" but noted that "regrettably, war operates that way".

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 government alleged he played a pivotal function in recruiting and deploying former Colombian soldiers to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Oliveros, was also sanctioned.

Also on the sanctions list was Mateo Duque Botero, a dual national who officials alleged oversaw a company implicated in managing finances and payments for the network. "Recently, American entities associated with Duque carried out numerous wire transfers, worth millions," the official announcement said.

Colombian national Mónica Muñoz was the final person to be sanctioned, with the entity she oversaw accused of money transfers associated with Duque and his companies.

"Washington reiterates its demand for external actors to stop giving financial and military support to the warring parties," the department said in a statement.

Expert Analysis

A senior analyst, from a conflict think tank, described the actions as a "highly important" step, saying that "identifying the recruiters is the right way to go".

She added that, the Colombian government has enacted a law ratifying the anti-mercenary convention, aiming to curb its citizens' long history in international fights and change domestic defense strategy.

Another expert, a authority on private military contractors, urged more caution, noting that "restrictions are needed but not enough for combating the growing mercenary trade".

"This is a shadow economy and based out of the Emirates, which is largely insulated from sanctions," he commented. The Emirati government has been frequently alleged of supplying weapons to the paramilitary group, claims it rejects. "This trend will probably continue," the expert cautioned.