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The United States has enforced penalties on a network of four people and four firms accused of enlisting South American contractors to support and educate a militia force in Sudan which the US alleges of committing genocide.

Group Makeup

Revealing the restrictions on this week, the American treasury stated the scheme was largely composed of Colombian nationals and companies.

Hundreds of former Colombian military personnel have reportedly travelled to Sudan to operate with the RSF paramilitary group, a group accused of severe violations including massacres based on ethnicity and widespread kidnappings.

Emergence of Involvement

The involvement of Colombian fighters first came to light in 2024, following an inquiry which revealed that over three hundred former soldiers had been recruited to fight – an event that prompted an rare mea culpa from officials in Bogotá.

Colombian ex-soldiers have long been considered as some of the most in-demand contractors globally due to their vast combat experience acquired during a long-running domestic war, knowledge of Western military gear, and superior tactical education.

Role in the Conflict

In the conflict, the contractors have reportedly trained underage fighters, taught fighters to pilot drones, and participated in direct battles. A mercenary was quoted as saying that working with child soldiers was "horrific and irrational" but noted that "regrettably, war operates that way".

Targeted Persons

Among those penalized was Álvaro Andrés Quijano Becerra, a citizen of both Colombia and Italy and former army officer based in the United Arab Emirates. The US authorities said he had a pivotal function in hiring and sending mercenaries to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Oliveros, was also sanctioned.

Also on the penalty list was Duque Botero, a dual national who the Treasury stated managed a business implicated in processing money and salaries for the network. "In 2024 and 2025, US-based firms associated with Duque engaged in several money transfers, worth millions," the Treasury statement stated.

Individual Mónica Muñoz was the fourth individual to be targeted, with the entity she oversaw accused of financial transactions connected to Duque and his operations.

"The US once more urges external actors to stop giving monetary and weaponry aid to the belligerents," the department announced.

Expert Analysis

An expert, from a conflict think tank, labeled the measures as a "highly important" development, noting that "targeting the enablers is the right way to go".

Furthermore, Bogotá has enacted a piece of legislation approving the International Convention Against the Recruitment and Use of Mercenaries, seeking to reduce decades of Colombian involvement in international fights and reshape national security policy.

Another expert, an expert on mercenaries, urged more caution, noting that "penalties are required yet incomplete for dealing with rampant mercenarism".

"It operates in the black market and based out of Dubai, which is difficult to penalize," he said. The UAE has been repeatedly implicated of arming the RSF, an accusation it has denied. "Expect more Colombian mercenaries," he advised.