The United States has recently implemented substantial financial sanctions targeting an international network accused of recruiting and deploying hundreds of former Colombian soldiers. These soldiers were allegedly sent to fight alongside a Sudanese paramilitary group, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which has been implicated in numerous atrocities. The network, comprised of four individuals and four companies, is believed to have supplied the RSF with experienced combatants, thereby intensifying one of the world's most severe humanitarian crises.
This significant development follows investigative reports published last year, which initially exposed the extensive involvement of Colombian mercenaries in the ongoing Sudanese conflict. The sanctions, announced by the U.S. Treasury, underscore a sophisticated operation with considerable global reach. A key figure in these allegations is Álvaro Andrés Quijano Becerra, a retired Colombian military officer with dual Italian citizenship. He is thought to have masterminded recruitment efforts from his base in the United Arab Emirates.
The presence of these highly experienced fighters signifies a worrying escalation in the RSF's military capabilities. These mercenaries bring not only extensive battlefield experience gained from Colombia’s protracted internal conflicts but also familiarity with NATO-standard equipment and advanced tactical training. Reports from the ground suggest their activities have spanned direct frontline combat to instructing RSF members in specialized skills, including the operation of drones. Most disturbingly, accounts have emerged of their involvement in training regimes that included child soldiers.
The financial infrastructure supporting this mercenary pipeline appears remarkably complex. U.S. authorities allege that Mateo Andrés Duque Botero, a dual Colombian-Spanish citizen, managed entities responsible for processing the operation’s payroll and logistical support. According to the Treasury statement, firms connected to Duque Botero executed a series of substantial wire transfers originating in the United States throughout 2024 and 2025, channeling millions of dollars to sustain the network. Another sanctioned individual, Mónica Muñoz Ucros, is implicated through a company accused of facilitating these international monetary movements.
This revelation has prompted significant diplomatic repercussions, leading Colombia’s foreign ministry to issue a formal apology. This unprecedented move acknowledges the grave implications of its citizens' involvement in foreign conflicts. For the United States, these sanctions represent a direct response to the RSF’s documented campaign of violence, which Washington has condemned as encompassing war crimes and acts of genocide, particularly in besieged cities like El Fasher.
This action highlights the increasingly transnational nature of modern warfare, where mercenary capital and military expertise are readily commodified across continents. While the immediate impact freezes the sanctioned entities' U.S.-linked assets, the broader challenge remains: severing the financial lifelines that enable such networks to thrive and curbing the flow of professional soldiers into conflicts that exacerbate civilian suffering. The focus on this Colombian nexus marks a critical step in addressing the external enablers of Sudan’s devastating humanitarian crisis.