The United States has imposed sanctions on an international network of four individuals and four entities for actively recruiting former Colombian military personnel to fight in Sudan’s brutal civil war. The US Treasury announced the decisive sanctions on Tuesday, confirming the network provided essential support to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which the department accuses of committing ethnic cleansing and genocide.
Targeting Mercenary Pipeline
The RSF has fiercely battled the rival Sudanese Armed Forces since April 2023, initiating a nearly 1,000-day-old conflict that has destabilized the entire region. Consequently, the Treasury reports the RSF has successfully recruited hundreds of former Colombian soldiers since September 2024, significantly bolstering its operational capabilities across the war zone.
These highly trained Colombian mercenaries provide the RSF with crucial tactical and technical expertise, serving roles as diverse as infantry, artillerymen, drone pilots, and instructors who even train children.
Furthermore, Colombian soldiers actively aided the RSF in its late October capture of E-Fasher in North Darfur, during which they allegedly committed severe war crimes including mass killings, sexual violence, and ethnically targeted torture.
Regarding the violence, Undersecretary John Hurley for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence stated, “The RSF has shown again and again that it is willing to target civilians, including infants and young children. Its brutality has deepened the conflict and destabilized the region, creating the conditions for terrorist groups to grow.”
Key Individuals Targeted
Specifically, the Treasury identified and sanctioned retired Colombian military officer Alvaro Andrew Quijano Becerra, 58, accusing him of directing the recruitment network from the United Arab Emirates. His Bogota-founded International Services Agency also received sanctions for attempting to fill specialized roles like drone operator, sniper, and translator via its public website, group chats, and various town halls.
The sanctioned entities also include Colombia-based Maine Global Corp., Comercializadora San Bendito, and Panama-based Global Staffing S.A., alongside three additional individuals linked to the operation.
State Department spokesperson Thomas Pigott emphasized the immediate impact, saying, “Today’s sanctions disrupt an important source of external support to the RSF, degrading its ability to use skilled Colombian fighters to prosecute violence against civilians.”
These financial sanctions immediately freeze all US-based assets belonging to the named parties while simultaneously prohibiting US persons and companies from conducting any business transactions with them. The decisive action arrives as fresh attempts to secure a ceasefire continue to falter, with Sudan’s army chief appealing directly to US President Donald Trump for assistance last month.
