🔗 Share this article United States Enforces Restrictions on Group Alleged of Recruiting South American Fighters to Sudan. The US government has imposed sanctions on a operation of four people and four firms charged of hiring Colombian mercenaries to combat alongside and instruct a militia force in Sudan which the US alleges of committing genocide. Operation Structure Revealing the restrictions on Tuesday, the American treasury stated the network was primarily made up of Colombian nationals and companies. Numerous of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been recruited to go to the Sudanese warzone to fight alongside the RSF paramilitary group, a force accused of horrific war crimes including ethnically targeted slaughter and mass abductions. Revelation of Role The participation of ex-soldiers was first uncovered last year, after an inquiry which revealed that more than 300 ex-military personnel had been contracted to fight – an revelation that prompted an rare mea culpa from Colombia’s foreign ministry. Colombian ex-soldiers have widely regarded as among the world’s most sought-after mercenaries due to their considerable warzone knowledge gleaned from decades of civil war, knowledge of Western military gear, and high-level combat training. Reported Actions In Sudan, the mercenaries have reportedly trained underage fighters, instructed militiamen in drone operation, and fought directly on the frontlines. An individual involved previously stated that working with child soldiers was "terrible and insane" but commented that "regrettably, war operates that way". Targeted Persons 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 accused him a key part in recruiting and deploying mercenaries to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Oliveros, was similarly targeted. Also on the restricted list was Duque Botero, a dual Colombian-Spanish citizen who the Treasury stated ran a firm implicated in processing money and salaries for the scheme. "In 2024 and 2025, American entities linked to Duque engaged in several money transfers, amounting to millions," the Treasury statement noted. Individual Mónica Muñoz was the other individual to be penalized, with the entity she oversaw accused of money transfers linked to Duque and his companies. "The US once more urges external actors to cease providing financial and military support to the combatants," the department announced. Expert Analysis Elizabeth Dickinson, senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, labeled the actions as a "highly important" milestone, stating that "targeting the enablers is the proper strategy". It was also noted that, the Colombian government ratified a law ratifying the global treaty against mercenarism, aiming to curb years of participation by its nationals in international fights and transform domestic defense strategy. A mercenary specialist, a authority on private military contractors, called for greater wariness, saying that "sanctions are necessary but insufficient for addressing rampant mercenarism". "It operates in the black market and based out of Dubai, which is difficult to penalize," he commented. The United Arab Emirates has been frequently alleged of supplying weapons to the paramilitary group, claims it rejects. "Expect more Colombian mercenaries," he advised.