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The US government has levied restrictions on a operation of several persons and entities alleged of recruiting South American contractors to fight for and train a militia force in Sudan the United States claims of committing genocide.

Operation Structure

Announcing the measures on this week, the US Treasury Department stated the scheme was largely composed of individuals and businesses from Colombia.

Numerous of former Colombian military personnel have reportedly travelled to Sudan to fight alongside the Sudanese RSF militia, a group implicated in horrific war crimes encompassing massacres based on ethnicity and large-scale abductions.

Discovery of Participation

The involvement of Colombian fighters initially emerged in 2024, after an report which found that hundreds of ex-military personnel had been hired to engage in combat – an event that led to an unprecedented apology from officials in Bogotá.

Former Colombian military have long been considered as highly prized fighters in conflict zones due to their vast combat experience resulting from years of internal conflict, familiarity with Western military gear, and elite military instruction.

Activities in Sudan

In the conflict, the Colombians have reportedly trained minors, instructed militiamen in drone operation, and engaged in frontline combat. An individual involved remarked that instructing minors was "awful and crazy" but commented that "sadly, that is the nature of conflict".

Named Entities

Among those penalized was Álvaro Andrés Quijano Becerra, a citizen of both Colombia and Italy and former army officer located in the United Arab Emirates. The US authorities accused him a central role in enlisting and transporting mercenaries to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was penalized as well.

Also on the sanctions list was Mateo Duque Botero, a individual with Colombian and Spanish citizenship who officials alleged managed a business linked to handling funds and payroll for the recruitment operation. "Recently, American entities associated with Duque engaged in several money transfers, amounting to millions," the official announcement said.

Individual Mónica Muñoz was the final person to be targeted, with the firm she operated alleged to have financial transactions associated with Duque and his companies.

"The United States again calls on foreign parties to cease providing financial and military support to the combatants," the Treasury announced.

Expert Analysis

A senior analyst, with the International Crisis Group, labeled the measures as a "highly important" step, stating that "targeting the enablers is the proper strategy".

It was also noted that, the Colombian government ratified a law endorsing the global treaty against mercenarism, aiming to curb years of participation by its nationals in foreign conflicts and transform domestic defense strategy.

A mercenary specialist, an expert on mercenaries, urged more caution, saying that "penalties are required yet incomplete for dealing with rampant mercenarism".

"This is a shadow economy and centered in the UAE, which is largely insulated from sanctions," he stated. The Emirati government has been widely accused of providing arms to the militia, an accusation it has denied. "Expect more Colombian mercenaries," the expert cautioned.