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The Washington has enforced penalties on a operation of four people and four firms charged of hiring Colombian mercenaries to combat alongside and instruct a Sudanese paramilitary group that Washington accuses of committing genocide.

Group Makeup

Revealing the measures on Tuesday, the US Treasury Department stated the network was primarily made up of Colombian citizens and firms.

Scores of former Colombian military personnel have been recruited to go to Sudan to fight alongside the Sudanese RSF militia, a faction linked to terrible atrocities such as massacres based on ethnicity and mass abductions.

Emergence of Involvement

The involvement of Colombian fighters first came to light last year, after an report which revealed that more than 300 ex-military personnel had been recruited to engage in combat – an event that resulted in an unprecedented apology from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

Colombian ex-soldiers have long been considered as among the world’s most sought-after mercenaries due to their vast combat experience acquired during a long-running domestic war, training on advanced weaponry, and elite military instruction.

Activities in Sudan

In the Sudanese theater, the mercenaries have been accused of teaching minors, instructed militiamen in drone operation, and fought directly on the frontlines. An individual involved previously stated that training children was "awful and crazy" but noted that "regrettably, war operates that way".

Targeted Persons

Among those targeted was Álvaro Andrés Quijano Becerra, a individual with dual citizenship and ex-soldier located in the UAE. The Treasury alleged he played a central role in recruiting and deploying former Colombian soldiers to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was similarly targeted.

Also on the restricted list was Mateo Andrés Duque Botero, a dual national who the Treasury stated oversaw a company implicated in processing money and salaries for the recruitment operation. "In 2024 and 2025, companies in the United States associated with Duque carried out several money transfers, worth millions," the official announcement noted.

Individual Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the other individual to be targeted, with the firm she operated alleged to have financial transactions connected to Duque and his businesses.

"Washington reiterates its demand for outside forces to stop giving monetary and weaponry aid to the combatants," the Treasury said in a statement.

Analyst Commentary

A senior analyst, from a conflict think tank, described the actions as a "very significant" step, saying that "calling out those who are doing the contracting is the right way to go".

It was also noted that, the Colombian government has enacted a law endorsing the anti-mercenary convention, seeking to reduce years of participation by its nationals in international fights and reshape its security approach.

Another expert, an expert on mercenaries, urged more caution, noting that "penalties are required yet incomplete for combating the growing mercenary trade".

"This is a shadow economy and centered in Dubai, which is largely insulated from sanctions," he commented. The United Arab Emirates has been repeatedly implicated of arming the RSF, claims it rejects. "Expect more Colombian mercenaries," he advised.