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The Washington has imposed sanctions on a operation of four individuals and four companies accused of recruiting Colombian mercenaries to fight for and train a Sudanese paramilitary group which the US alleges of acts of genocide.

Operation Structure

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

Scores of retired Colombian troops have been recruited to go to the Sudanese warzone to operate with the Sudanese RSF militia, a group linked to horrific war crimes including targeted ethnic killings and large-scale abductions.

Revelation of Role

The role of these mercenaries was first uncovered in 2024, after an investigation which found that more than 300 retired troops had been contracted to fight – an discovery that resulted in an unprecedented apology from officials in Bogotá.

Colombian ex-soldiers have widely regarded as some of the most in-demand contractors globally due to their considerable warzone knowledge gleaned from years of internal conflict, knowledge of Nato equipment, and elite military instruction.

Role in the Conflict

In the conflict, the mercenaries have allegedly instructed child soldiers, instructed militiamen in drone operation, and engaged in frontline combat. A mercenary previously stated that instructing minors was "awful and crazy" but commented that "sadly, that is the nature of conflict".

Named Entities

Among those sanctioned was Álvaro Andrés Quijano Becerra, a citizen of both Colombia and Italy and former army officer based in the Dubai. The government alleged he played a central role in hiring and sending former Colombian soldiers to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was similarly targeted.

Also on the sanctions list was Mateo Duque Botero, a dual Colombian-Spanish citizen who the Treasury stated managed a business accused of handling funds and payroll for the scheme. "In 2024 and 2025, US-based firms linked to Duque carried out several money transfers, totalling millions of US dollars," the official announcement stated.

Citizen of Colombia Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the fourth individual to be targeted, with the firm she operated accused of wire transfers linked to Duque and his businesses.

"The United States again calls on outside forces to halt the flow of financial and military support to the warring parties," the department stated.

Analyst Commentary

A senior analyst, senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, called the sanctions as a "very significant" step, stating that "identifying the recruiters is the correct approach".

It was also noted that, Bogotá recently passed a statute ratifying the global treaty against mercenarism, designed to limit decades of Colombian involvement in international fights and reshape domestic defense strategy.

Sean McFate, a scholar on the subject, urged more caution, saying that "penalties are required yet incomplete for dealing with the growing mercenary trade".

"It operates in the black market and centered in Dubai, which is largely insulated from sanctions," he said. The UAE has been frequently alleged of supplying weapons to the paramilitary group, claims it rejects. "This trend will probably continue," the expert cautioned.