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The US government has enforced penalties on a network of four individuals and four companies alleged of enlisting South American contractors to combat alongside and instruct a Sudanese paramilitary group that Washington accuses of committing genocide.

Network Composition

Announcing the measures on this week, the American treasury stated the network was largely composed of Colombian citizens and firms.

Numerous of retired Colombian troops have allegedly journeyed to the Sudanese warzone to fight alongside the RSF paramilitary group, a group linked to severe violations including massacres based on ethnicity and mass abductions.

Discovery of Participation

The involvement of Colombian fighters first came to light in 2024, prompted by an report which revealed that hundreds of former soldiers had been contracted to participate in the war – an discovery that resulted in an rare mea culpa from officials in Bogotá.

These South American veterans have widely regarded as highly prized fighters in conflict zones due to their extensive battlefield experience resulting from years of internal conflict, familiarity with Western military gear, and high-level combat training.

Role in the Conflict

In Sudan, the contractors have reportedly trained minors, instructed militiamen in drone operation, and engaged in frontline combat. One source remarked that instructing minors was "awful and crazy" but noted that "sadly, that is the nature of conflict".

Named Entities

Among those penalized was Álvaro Andrés Quijano Becerra, a individual with dual citizenship and former army officer located in the United Arab Emirates. The US authorities said he had a central role in recruiting and deploying former Colombian soldiers to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was similarly targeted.

Also on the restricted list was Duque Botero, a dual national who authorities say oversaw a company implicated in handling funds and payroll for the recruitment operation. "In 2024 and 2025, American entities linked to Duque conducted several money transfers, totalling millions of US dollars," the official announcement said.

Individual Mónica Muñoz was the fourth individual to be sanctioned, with the firm she operated accused of money transfers connected to Duque and his operations.

"Washington reiterates its demand for outside forces to halt the flow of funding and arms to the combatants," the agency announced.

Expert Analysis

Elizabeth Dickinson, from a conflict think tank, labeled the sanctions as a "highly important" milestone, noting that "identifying the recruiters is the correct approach".

It was also noted that, the Colombian government ratified a law ratifying the International Convention Against the Recruitment and Use of Mercenaries, seeking to reduce years of participation by its nationals in international fights and transform its security approach.

Another expert, a authority on private military contractors, called for greater wariness, saying that "sanctions are necessary but insufficient for dealing with widespread use of contractors".

"This is a shadow economy and centered in the Emirates, which is relatively sanction-proof," he stated. The United Arab Emirates has been widely accused of supplying weapons to the paramilitary group, an accusation it has denied. "This trend will probably continue," McFate warned.