🔗 Share this article

The Washington has levied restrictions on a group of four individuals and four companies charged of recruiting Colombian mercenaries to fight for and train a militia force in Sudan which the US alleges of acts of genocide.

Operation Structure

Revealing the restrictions on Tuesday, the Treasury stated the operation was primarily made up of individuals and businesses from Colombia.

Numerous of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been recruited to go to Sudan to combat beside the Sudanese RSF militia, a faction linked to terrible atrocities including ethnically targeted slaughter and widespread kidnappings.

Revelation of Role

The participation of ex-soldiers was first uncovered in 2024, prompted by an inquiry which found that hundreds of former soldiers had been recruited to participate in the war – an revelation that prompted an unprecedented apology from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

Former Colombian military have widely regarded as some of the most in-demand contractors globally due to their considerable warzone knowledge gleaned from decades of civil war, training on Western military gear, and high-level combat training.

Activities in Sudan

In the conflict, the contractors have reportedly trained minors, instructed militiamen in drone operation, and engaged in frontline combat. One source previously stated that training children was "awful and crazy" but noted that "regrettably, war operates that way".

Targeted Persons

Among those sanctioned was Álvaro Andrés Quijano Becerra, a individual with dual citizenship and ex-soldier operating from the United Arab Emirates. The Treasury alleged he played a pivotal function in enlisting and transporting former Colombian soldiers to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was penalized as well.

Also on the restricted list was Duque Botero, a individual with Colombian and Spanish citizenship who the Treasury stated oversaw a company linked to handling funds and payroll for the network. "Recently, US-based firms associated with Duque engaged in several money transfers, amounting to millions," the official announcement noted.

Individual Mónica Muñoz was the final person to be targeted, with the firm she operated accused of money transfers linked to Duque and his companies.

"Washington reiterates its demand for outside forces to stop giving funding and arms to the warring parties," the Treasury announced.

Analyst Commentary

An expert, with the International Crisis Group, called the sanctions as a "highly important" step, saying that "calling out those who are doing the contracting is the proper strategy".

She added that, the Colombian government recently passed a piece of legislation approving the anti-mercenary convention, designed to limit decades of Colombian involvement in international fights and change its security approach.

Sean McFate, a scholar on the subject, called for greater wariness, noting that "sanctions are necessary but insufficient for addressing rampant mercenarism".

"This is a shadow economy and based out of Dubai, which is largely insulated from sanctions," he commented. The United Arab Emirates has been frequently alleged of supplying weapons to the paramilitary group, allegations it disputes. "This trend will probably continue," McFate warned.