The United States government has imposed sanctions on four Colombian nationals and the companies they operate, accusing them of running a transnational network that recruited former Colombian military personnel to fight in Sudan’s civil war. The sanctions were announced on Tuesday by the US Department of the Treasury.

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Individuals and Companies Targeted

The sanctioned individuals are:

• Alvaro Andres Quijano Becerra
• Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero
• Mateo Andres Duque Botero
• Monica Munoz Ucros

These individuals were accused of operating Bogota-based firms that facilitated recruitment, including International Services Agency and Maine Global Corp, as well as a Panama-based company, Global Staffing (also known as Talent Bridge). The Treasury alleges these firms coordinated recruitment campaigns through group chats, “town halls,” and employment schemes to send Colombian veterans to Sudan.

Comercializadora San Bendito was also sanctioned for processing wire transfers linked to the operation. From 2024 to 2025, payments to fighters allegedly amounted to millions of US dollars.

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Role of Colombian Recruits in Sudan

According to the Treasury, hundreds of Colombian military veterans have traveled to Sudan since September 2024 to fight alongside the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group engaged in a prolonged conflict with Sudanese government forces.

Colombian recruits were reportedly involved in:

• Training RSF fighters, including child soldiers
• Providing expertise on drones, artillery, and military vehicles
• Direct participation in battles across Khartoum, Omdurman, Kordofan, and El Fasher

A Sudanese government representative informed the UN Security Council that between 350 and 380 Colombian mercenaries have participated in the conflict, most of whom are retired Colombian soldiers.

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Humanitarian and Regional Impact

The conflict in Sudan, ongoing since April 2023, has created one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises. More than 12.4 million people have been displaced, with over 3.3 million refugees fleeing to neighboring countries. The RSF has been accused of ethnically motivated killings, torture, targeting humanitarian workers, and using sexual violence as a weapon of war.

In January 2025, the US Department of State declared that the RSF committed genocide against ethnic groups in Sudan, noting abuses on both sides. The Treasury highlighted that the civil war threatens US interests in Africa by destabilizing the region and potentially creating safe havens for groups hostile to the United States.

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Sanctions and Their Implications

The sanctions freeze any assets these individuals and companies may hold in the United States and prohibit US-based entities from conducting business with them. Treasury officials emphasized that the sanctions aim to disrupt networks that profit from armed conflicts abroad while highlighting Colombia’s historical reputation as a source of international mercenaries.

Experts note that Colombia’s decades-long internal conflicts, which have involved left-wing rebels, right-wing paramilitaries, and criminal networks, have contributed to the availability of experienced combatants for foreign conflicts.

John K. Hurley, a Treasury official, 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.”