🔗 Share this article

The US government has levied restrictions on a operation of several persons and entities accused of enlisting Colombian mercenaries to support and educate a Sudanese paramilitary group which the US alleges of genocidal acts.

Network Composition

Announcing the restrictions on Tuesday, the American treasury stated the network was largely composed of individuals and businesses from Colombia.

Scores of retired Colombian troops have been recruited to go to the conflict in Sudan to operate with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a force linked to severe violations such as massacres based on ethnicity and large-scale abductions.

Emergence of Involvement

The involvement of Colombian fighters was first uncovered the previous year, following an report which found that hundreds of ex-military personnel had been hired to fight – an discovery that resulted in an rare mea culpa from officials in Bogotá.

Former Colombian military have widely regarded as among the world’s most sought-after mercenaries due to their vast combat experience acquired during a long-running domestic war, familiarity with Western military gear, and superior tactical education.

Role in the Conflict

In the Sudanese theater, the Colombians have reportedly trained child soldiers, provided drone warfare training, and engaged in frontline combat. A mercenary previously stated that training children was "horrific and irrational" but commented that "sadly, that is the nature of conflict".

Targeted Persons

Among those targeted was Álvaro Andrés Quijano Becerra, a dual Colombian-Italian national and ex-soldier operating from the UAE. The US authorities said he had a key part in enlisting and transporting former Colombian soldiers to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Oliveros, was penalized as well.

Also on the penalty list was Mateo Andrés Duque Botero, a individual with Colombian and Spanish citizenship who officials alleged managed a business linked to processing money and salaries for the network. "Recently, US-based firms associated with Duque carried out several money transfers, totalling millions of US dollars," the official announcement said.

Individual Mónica Muñoz was the final person to be sanctioned, with the company she managed alleged to have money transfers connected to Duque and his companies.

"The US once more urges foreign parties to cease providing monetary and weaponry aid to the belligerents," the department said in a statement.

Analyst Commentary

An expert, with the International Crisis Group, called the actions as a "major" step, stating that "calling out those who are doing the contracting is the correct approach".

She added that, Colombia ratified a piece of legislation endorsing the global treaty against mercenarism, seeking to reduce years of participation by its nationals in foreign conflicts and reshape domestic defense strategy.

Another expert, an expert on mercenaries, urged more caution, noting that "restrictions are needed but not enough for dealing with the growing mercenary trade".

"It operates in the black market and operating from the Emirates, which is relatively sanction-proof," he stated. The Emirati government has been frequently alleged of supplying weapons to the paramilitary group, allegations it disputes. "Expect more Colombian mercenaries," the expert cautioned.