US imposes sanctions on network recruiting Colombians for Sudan civil war

• US Treasury sanctions four individuals and four entities linked to Sudan conflict.
• Network reportedly recruits former Colombian soldiers, including children.
• RSF cited for targeting civilians and destabilizing the region.

The US Treasury Department announced sanctions Tuesday against a transnational network accused of recruiting Colombians to fight in Sudan's ongoing civil war.

The conflict, which has raged since 2023 between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), has killed tens of thousands and destabilized the region.

Treasury officials said the sanctions target four individuals and four entities involved in recruiting and training soldiers, including children, for the RSF. “The RSF has shown again and again that it is willing to target civilians, including infants and young children,” said Treasury Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence John Hurley. “Its brutality has deepened the conflict and destabilized the region, creating the conditions for terrorist groups to grow.”

- Individuals and entities sanctioned -

Among those sanctioned is Alvaro Andres Quijano Becerra, a retired Colombian military officer based in the United Arab Emirates, described as a key figure in recruiting former Colombian soldiers for Sudan. The Treasury also targeted his employment agency, which he co-founded, and his wife, who has been involved in managing the company. Additional groups and managers linked to recruitment were included in the sanctions.

- US warns of regional destabilization -

The Treasury said the Sudanese civil war poses a threat to regional stability and could provide a haven for groups that endanger the United States. In January, the US State Department determined that RSF members had committed genocide, underscoring the severity of the ongoing conflict.