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The Washington has levied restrictions on a group of several persons and entities accused of recruiting South American contractors to combat alongside and instruct a militia force in Sudan the United States claims of committing genocide.

Operation Structure

Revealing the restrictions on this week, the US Treasury Department stated the network was largely composed of Colombian nationals and companies.

Numerous of former Colombian military personnel have been recruited to go to Sudan to operate with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a group accused of severe violations such as ethnically targeted slaughter and widespread kidnappings.

Revelation of Role

The role of these mercenaries initially emerged in 2024, following an investigation which revealed that over three hundred ex-military personnel had been hired to engage in combat – an discovery that led to an unprecedented apology from officials in Bogotá.

These South American veterans have historically been seen as some of the most in-demand contractors globally due to their vast combat experience gleaned from decades of civil war, knowledge of Nato equipment, and elite military instruction.

Activities in Sudan

In Sudan, the mercenaries have been accused of teaching child soldiers, instructed militiamen in drone operation, and participated in direct battles. A mercenary was quoted as saying that instructing minors was "terrible and insane" but noted that "sadly, that is the nature of conflict".

Named Entities

Among those sanctioned was Álvaro Andrés Quijano Becerra, a dual Colombian-Italian national and ex-soldier operating from the Dubai. The Treasury accused him a key part in recruiting and deploying former Colombian soldiers to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Oliveros, was also sanctioned.

Also on the penalty list was Duque Botero, a dual Colombian-Spanish citizen who the Treasury stated managed a business implicated in handling funds and payroll for the network. "Recently, American entities linked to Duque carried out several money transfers, totalling millions of US dollars," the official announcement stated.

Colombian national Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the fourth individual to be targeted, with the company she managed alleged to have money transfers connected to Duque and his operations.

"The US once more urges foreign parties to stop giving monetary and weaponry aid to the belligerents," the agency stated.

Reaction

A senior analyst, with the International Crisis Group, described the measures as a "major" development, noting that "identifying the recruiters is the proper strategy".

It was also noted that, Colombia has enacted a piece of legislation ratifying the International Convention Against the Recruitment and Use of Mercenaries, aiming to curb its citizens' long history in foreign conflicts and transform domestic defense strategy.

Another expert, a authority on private military contractors, called for greater wariness, saying that "penalties are required yet incomplete for dealing with widespread use of contractors".

"It operates in the black market and operating from the UAE, which is relatively sanction-proof," he stated. The UAE has been repeatedly implicated of arming the RSF, an accusation it has denied. "Expect more Colombian mercenaries," he advised.