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The United States has imposed fresh sanctions on a network accused of recruiting Colombian nationals to fight in Sudan’s ongoing civil war, amid escalating violence between rival forces in the country.
The US Treasury Department announced on Tuesday that it had sanctioned four individuals and four organisations linked to a transnational operation allegedly supplying fighters to Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a powerful paramilitary group locked in conflict with the Sudanese army since 2023.
According to US officials, the network has been recruiting former Colombian soldiers and training combatants, including children, for deployment to Sudan.
John Hurley, the Treasury’s Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, said the RSF had repeatedly demonstrated a willingness to attack civilians, including infants and minors.
“The RSF’s actions have worsened the humanitarian catastrophe and destabilised the region, creating an environment in which extremist groups can thrive,” he said.
Among those sanctioned is Álvaro Andrés Quijano Becerra, a retired Colombian military officer based in the United Arab Emirates, whom the Treasury described as a central figure in organising recruitment and transport operations. Also targeted were the employment agency he co-founded and his wife, who is alleged to have played a role in managing the business.
Other individuals and companies believed to be involved in facilitating the recruitment and deployment of fighters were also named in the sanctions list.
In a separate statement, the Treasury warned that the war in Sudan threatens wider regional security and could turn the country into a haven for groups hostile to US interests.
The announcement comes as fresh attempts to end the fighting continue to falter. Last month, Sudan’s army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan appealed directly to US President Donald Trump for support in ending the conflict, which has already claimed tens of thousands of lives and displaced millions.
Earlier this year, the US State Department formally concluded that elements of the RSF were responsible for acts of genocide, marking a significant escalation in Washington’s response to the crisis.
