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The Washington has enforced penalties on a operation of several persons and entities charged of enlisting former Colombian soldiers to combat alongside and instruct a armed faction in Sudan that Washington accuses of genocidal acts.

Operation Structure

Revealing the sanctions on Tuesday, the Treasury stated the network was largely composed of Colombian nationals and companies.

Scores of former Colombian military personnel have allegedly journeyed to the conflict in Sudan to combat beside the RSF paramilitary group, a group accused of terrible atrocities encompassing massacres based on ethnicity and large-scale abductions.

Emergence of Involvement

The participation of ex-soldiers initially emerged in 2024, prompted by an inquiry which found that over three hundred retired troops had been hired to participate in the war – an event that led to an rare mea culpa from officials in Bogotá.

These South American veterans have long been considered as some of the most in-demand contractors globally due to their vast combat experience gleaned from years of internal conflict, familiarity with advanced weaponry, and high-level combat training.

Role in the Conflict

In Sudan, the mercenaries have reportedly trained minors, instructed militiamen in drone operation, and participated in direct battles. One source was quoted as saying that training children was "horrific and irrational" but added that "regrettably, war operates that way".

Named Entities

Among those sanctioned was Álvaro Andrés Quijano Becerra, a individual with dual citizenship and former army officer located in the UAE. The government said he had a central role in recruiting and deploying ex-military personnel to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was also sanctioned.

Also on the sanctions list was Duque Botero, a dual national who the Treasury stated managed a business implicated in processing money and salaries for the scheme. "Recently, American entities linked to Duque engaged in numerous wire transfers, worth millions," the government release stated.

Citizen of Colombia Mónica Muñoz was the final person to be targeted, with the entity she oversaw accused of financial transactions linked to Duque and his companies.

"The US once more urges external actors to stop giving financial and military support to the combatants," the Treasury announced.

Analyst Commentary

An expert, with the International Crisis Group, described the measures as a "very significant" step, stating that "targeting the enablers is the correct approach".

It was also noted that, Colombia has enacted a piece of legislation approving the International Convention Against the Recruitment and Use of Mercenaries, aiming to curb decades of Colombian involvement in overseas wars and reshape national security policy.

Another expert, a scholar on the subject, urged more caution, stating that "penalties are required yet incomplete for combating widespread use of contractors".

"It’s an illicit economy and centered in Dubai, which is relatively sanction-proof," he commented. The UAE has been widely accused of providing arms to the militia, allegations it disputes. "More contractors from Colombia are likely," he advised.