Washington Levies Penalties on Operation Accused of Recruiting South American Fighters to the Sudanese Conflict.

The United States has enforced penalties on a operation of four people and four firms charged of enlisting South American contractors to fight for and train a militia force in Sudan that Washington accuses of genocidal acts.

Operation Structure

Revealing the restrictions on this week, the American treasury stated the operation was mostly comprised of Colombian nationals and companies.

Scores of ex-soldiers from Colombia have allegedly journeyed to Sudan to fight alongside the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a faction accused of horrific war crimes including targeted ethnic killings and mass abductions.

Discovery of Participation

The involvement of Colombian fighters first came to light last year, prompted by an investigation which disclosed that more than 300 retired troops had been contracted to participate in the war – an discovery that led to an unprecedented apology from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

Former Colombian military have long been considered as highly prized fighters in conflict zones due to their vast combat experience resulting from decades of civil war, familiarity with Western military gear, and superior tactical education.

Role in the Conflict

In the conflict, the contractors have allegedly instructed child soldiers, provided drone warfare training, and fought directly on the frontlines. An individual involved was quoted as saying that working with child soldiers was "horrific and irrational" but noted that "unfortunately that’s how war is".

Named Entities

Among those targeted was Álvaro Andrés Quijano Becerra, a citizen of both Colombia and Italy and ex-soldier operating from the United Arab Emirates. The Treasury said he had a pivotal function in hiring and sending mercenaries to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Oliveros, was similarly targeted.

Also on the sanctions list was Mateo Duque Botero, a individual with Colombian and Spanish citizenship who the Treasury stated managed a business linked to managing finances and payments for the network. "In 2024 and 2025, American entities linked to Duque conducted several money transfers, amounting to millions," the government release said.

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

"The US once more urges external actors to halt the flow of funding and arms to the belligerents," the agency announced.

Expert Analysis

Elizabeth Dickinson, from a conflict think tank, called the measures as a "very significant" development, stating that "calling out those who are doing the contracting is the correct approach".

She added that, Colombia has enacted a statute approving the International Convention Against the Recruitment and Use of Mercenaries, seeking to reduce its citizens' long history in overseas wars and change national security policy.

A mercenary specialist, an expert on mercenaries, urged more caution, stating that "restrictions are needed but not enough for addressing the growing mercenary trade".

"It’s an illicit economy and operating from the UAE, which is relatively sanction-proof," he said. The United Arab Emirates has been repeatedly implicated of arming the RSF, an accusation it has denied. "This trend will probably continue," McFate warned.