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The United States has levied restrictions on a group of four people and four firms charged of recruiting former Colombian soldiers to combat alongside and instruct a Sudanese paramilitary group that Washington accuses of committing genocide.

Group Makeup

Revealing the sanctions on Tuesday, the US Treasury Department stated the network was mostly comprised of individuals and businesses from Colombia.

Hundreds of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been recruited to go to the conflict in Sudan to combat beside the RSF paramilitary group, a faction accused of horrific war crimes encompassing massacres based on ethnicity and large-scale abductions.

Emergence of Involvement

The participation of ex-soldiers initially emerged last year, following an report which revealed that over three hundred ex-military personnel had been hired to participate in the war – an event that resulted in an unusual statement of regret from the Colombian government.

Colombian ex-soldiers have long been considered as highly prized fighters in conflict zones due to their vast combat experience acquired during a long-running domestic war, training on advanced weaponry, and superior tactical education.

Role in the Conflict

In the Sudanese theater, the mercenaries have reportedly trained underage fighters, taught fighters to pilot drones, and engaged in frontline combat. One source previously stated that instructing minors was "awful and crazy" but noted that "sadly, that is the nature of conflict".

Sanctioned Individuals

Among those targeted was Álvaro Andrés Quijano Becerra, a citizen of both Colombia and Italy and former army officer located in the UAE. The government accused him a pivotal function in hiring and sending mercenaries to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Oliveros, was penalized as well.

Also on the restricted list was Mateo Andrés Duque Botero, a dual national who authorities say managed a business implicated in managing finances and payments for the network. "In 2024 and 2025, American entities associated with Duque carried out several money transfers, worth millions," the Treasury statement stated.

Colombian national Mónica Muñoz was the fourth individual to be sanctioned, with the entity she oversaw accused of wire transfers linked to Duque and his businesses.

"The United States again calls on external actors to cease providing financial and military support to the warring parties," the agency stated.

Analyst Commentary

Elizabeth Dickinson, from a conflict think tank, described the measures as a "highly important" milestone, noting that "identifying the recruiters is the right way to go".

Furthermore, the Colombian government recently passed a statute approving the International Convention Against the Recruitment and Use of Mercenaries, aiming to curb decades of Colombian involvement in foreign conflicts and reshape domestic defense strategy.

Another expert, a authority on private military contractors, called for greater wariness, noting that "restrictions are needed but not enough for dealing with rampant mercenarism".

"It’s an illicit economy and operating from the UAE, which is relatively sanction-proof," he said. The Emirati government has been frequently alleged of supplying weapons to the paramilitary group, allegations it disputes. "Expect more Colombian mercenaries," he advised.