🔗 Share this article

The Washington has imposed sanctions on a operation of several persons and entities alleged of recruiting former Colombian soldiers to support and educate a armed faction in Sudan that Washington accuses of genocidal acts.

Group Makeup

Announcing the sanctions on Tuesday, the US Treasury Department stated the operation was largely composed of Colombian nationals and companies.

Numerous of retired Colombian troops have reportedly travelled to the Sudanese warzone to combat beside the Sudanese RSF militia, a force linked to severe violations such as targeted ethnic killings and large-scale abductions.

Discovery of Participation

The participation of ex-soldiers first came to light in 2024, following an report which revealed that hundreds of former soldiers had been contracted to fight – an discovery that resulted in an unprecedented apology from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

Colombian ex-soldiers have long been considered as highly prized fighters in conflict zones due to their extensive battlefield experience gleaned from a long-running domestic war, training on Western military gear, and high-level combat training.

Reported Actions

In the conflict, the Colombians 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 "terrible and insane" but added that "unfortunately that’s how war is".

Sanctioned Individuals

Among those targeted was Álvaro Andrés Quijano Becerra, a dual Colombian-Italian national and former army officer located in the United Arab Emirates. The US authorities accused him a key part in enlisting and transporting mercenaries to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Oliveros, was similarly targeted.

Also on the restricted list was Mateo Andrés Duque Botero, a dual Colombian-Spanish citizen who the Treasury stated ran a firm accused of processing money and salaries for the recruitment operation. "Recently, American entities linked to Duque engaged in multiple financial transactions, amounting to millions," the official announcement stated.

Colombian national Mónica Muñoz was the fourth individual to be penalized, with the firm she operated said to have conducted financial transactions associated with Duque and his businesses.

"The US once more urges foreign parties to stop giving funding and arms to the combatants," the Treasury stated.

Reaction

An expert, with the International Crisis Group, described the actions as a "very significant" development, noting that "calling out those who are doing the contracting is the proper strategy".

Furthermore, Bogotá ratified a piece of legislation ratifying the International Convention Against the Recruitment and Use of Mercenaries, seeking to reduce decades of Colombian involvement in foreign conflicts and reshape national security policy.

A mercenary specialist, a scholar on the subject, advised additional measures, saying that "sanctions are necessary but insufficient for combating the growing mercenary trade".

"It’s an illicit economy and operating from the UAE, which is largely insulated from sanctions," he commented. The Emirati government has been repeatedly implicated of supplying weapons to the paramilitary group, an accusation it has denied. "More contractors from Colombia are likely," he advised.