US Imposes Sanctions on Network Linked to Colombian Mercenaries in Sudan's Conflict
The United States government announced Tuesday that it had imposed sanctions on four individuals and four companies accused of fueling the conflict in Sudan by enlisting hundreds of former Colombian mercenaries. The network, largely composed of Colombian nationals and businesses, is believed to have played a significant role in recruiting and training fighters for the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group accused by Washington of committing genocide.
The Colombian mercenaries, who are considered among the world's most sought-after due to their extensive battlefield experience and combat training, have been involved in the conflict since last year. According to reports, they have trained child soldiers, taught fighters to pilot drones, and fought directly on the frontlines. The mercenaries' involvement has sparked widespread condemnation, including an apology from Colombia's foreign ministry.
Among those targeted by US sanctions are Álvaro Andrés Quijano Becerra, a retired Colombian military officer, and his wife Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero. They are accused of playing key roles in recruiting and deploying former Colombian soldiers to Sudan. Other individuals and companies on the list include Mateo Andrés Duque Botero, who is believed to have managed funds for the network, and Mónica Muñoz Ucros, whose company is accused of carrying out wire transfers linked to Duque.
The US Treasury described the sanctions as a "significant" step in condemning those involved in fueling the conflict. However, some experts warned that sanctions alone may not be enough to curb mercenarism, an illicit economy based largely in Dubai and widely seen as enabling the flow of foreign fighters into conflicts like Sudan's.
"This is a very significant milestone," said Elizabeth Dickinson, senior analyst at the International Crisis Group. "Calling out those who are doing the contracting is the right way to go." However, Sean McFate, an expert on mercenaries, cautioned that sanctions are only part of the solution. "Sanctions are necessary but insufficient for dealing with rampant mercenarism," he said.
The United States government announced Tuesday that it had imposed sanctions on four individuals and four companies accused of fueling the conflict in Sudan by enlisting hundreds of former Colombian mercenaries. The network, largely composed of Colombian nationals and businesses, is believed to have played a significant role in recruiting and training fighters for the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group accused by Washington of committing genocide.
The Colombian mercenaries, who are considered among the world's most sought-after due to their extensive battlefield experience and combat training, have been involved in the conflict since last year. According to reports, they have trained child soldiers, taught fighters to pilot drones, and fought directly on the frontlines. The mercenaries' involvement has sparked widespread condemnation, including an apology from Colombia's foreign ministry.
Among those targeted by US sanctions are Álvaro Andrés Quijano Becerra, a retired Colombian military officer, and his wife Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero. They are accused of playing key roles in recruiting and deploying former Colombian soldiers to Sudan. Other individuals and companies on the list include Mateo Andrés Duque Botero, who is believed to have managed funds for the network, and Mónica Muñoz Ucros, whose company is accused of carrying out wire transfers linked to Duque.
The US Treasury described the sanctions as a "significant" step in condemning those involved in fueling the conflict. However, some experts warned that sanctions alone may not be enough to curb mercenarism, an illicit economy based largely in Dubai and widely seen as enabling the flow of foreign fighters into conflicts like Sudan's.
"This is a very significant milestone," said Elizabeth Dickinson, senior analyst at the International Crisis Group. "Calling out those who are doing the contracting is the right way to go." However, Sean McFate, an expert on mercenaries, cautioned that sanctions are only part of the solution. "Sanctions are necessary but insufficient for dealing with rampant mercenarism," he said.
. I mean, I can understand why they'd want to stop them from fueling the conflict and training child soldiers, that's just horrific 
. But at the same time, I don't think sanctions alone are going to cut it 
. Some experts are saying that mercenarism is a whole different beast and needs more than just sanctions to be tackled 
. It's like, you gotta address the root cause of why these guys are getting paid so much to fight in conflicts 
. And what about the ones who are doing the hiring? They can't just be let off with a slap on the wrist 
. I don’t know, maybe I'm just being too optimistic 
but I think this is a good start and it's something that needs to be taken seriously 
but we gotta think about the bigger picture here. sanctions alone might not be enough to stop mercenaries from getting involved, especially since they're based in dubai and have connections all over the world 
it's like trying to pin down a slippery fish - you gotta get at the root of the problem, which is kinda hard when it involves illicit economies and international networks 
It's disgusting.
Can't just sit back and let mercenarism run wild? I guess the thing to do is keep pushing for more accountability and pressure on these companies and individuals. 
Maybe we'll get somewhere eventually!
. I'm glad the US is taking action but I hope they're not just scratching the surface of this problem. We need to keep pushing until everyone involved gets held accountable 
.
stats say 80% of those sanctioned have ties to Colombia, with a total of 200+ colombian nationals involved in the conflict 
estimated $500m in damages & 50k+ displaced people... but sanctions alone won't stop this mess 
did some research and found that UAE-based companies are making a fortune off these mercenaries 
, meanwhile Sudan's still got its hands full dealing with an estimated 300+ foreign fighters on the ground 
total global spending on private military companies is around $12b annually 
. And can we talk about how convenient it is that Colombia's foreign ministry had to apologize for their involvement? 
guess that was just a nice little PR move to distract from the fact that these guys are still out there causing chaos... 
what if they started causing more problems than good? 
... don't really think sanctions alone will solve anything, though - they gotta do more than just slap some hands together to stop mercenarism 
. I mean, can you even believe they're training child soldiers and flying drones around like it's a Sunday stroll? It's absolutely despicable.
.
. They need to think outside the box here 
. We need to do more than just slap sanctions on those involved - we need to address the root causes of mercenarism and ensure that countries like Sudan have the support they need to resolve their conflicts peacefully 
.