🔗 Share this article US Imposes Sanctions on Group Alleged of Funneling South American Fighters to Sudan. The US government has imposed sanctions on a network of four individuals and four companies charged of hiring Colombian mercenaries to support and educate a armed faction in Sudan that Washington accuses of committing genocide. Operation Structure Disclosing the measures on Tuesday, the US Treasury Department stated the operation was mostly comprised of individuals and businesses from Colombia. Hundreds of retired Colombian troops have reportedly travelled to the Sudanese warzone to combat beside the RSF paramilitary group, a group linked to terrible atrocities such as ethnically targeted slaughter and large-scale abductions. Revelation of Role The involvement of Colombian fighters was first uncovered in 2024, following an investigation which found that more than 300 ex-military personnel had been hired to fight – an revelation that prompted an unprecedented apology from officials in Bogotá. Colombian ex-soldiers have long been considered as among the world’s most sought-after mercenaries due to their extensive battlefield experience resulting from a long-running domestic war, familiarity with Nato equipment, and high-level combat training. Role in the Conflict In Sudan, the contractors have been accused of teaching underage fighters, taught fighters to pilot drones, and participated in direct battles. One source previously stated that training children was "horrific and irrational" but commented that "unfortunately that’s how war is". Sanctioned Individuals Among those penalized was Álvaro Andrés Quijano Becerra, a dual Colombian-Italian national and ex-soldier operating from the United Arab Emirates. The government said he had a pivotal function in enlisting and transporting mercenaries to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Oliveros, was similarly targeted. Also on the penalty list was Mateo Duque Botero, a dual Colombian-Spanish citizen who authorities say ran a firm linked to handling funds and payroll for the network. "Over the past two years, US-based firms associated with Duque carried out multiple financial transactions, worth millions," the official announcement noted. Individual Mónica Muñoz was the final person to be targeted, with the company she managed accused of money transfers connected to Duque and his companies. "The US once more urges outside forces to halt the flow of funding and arms to the belligerents," the agency stated. Expert Analysis A senior analyst, from a conflict think tank, labeled the measures as a "major" development, saying that "targeting the enablers is the proper strategy". Furthermore, Colombia has enacted a statute approving the International Convention Against the Recruitment and Use of Mercenaries, aiming to curb its citizens' long history in foreign conflicts and change domestic defense strategy. A mercenary specialist, a authority on private military contractors, urged more caution, saying that "restrictions are needed but not enough for dealing with rampant mercenarism". "It operates in the black market and based out of Dubai, which is relatively sanction-proof," he commented. The UAE has been repeatedly implicated of providing arms to the militia, an accusation it has denied. "Expect more Colombian mercenaries," McFate warned.