Updated: 9 December 2025 19:00:51
Sanctions Target International Network Recruiting Colombians to Fight in Sudan
moatinoon
The U.S. Department of the Treasury on Tuesday imposed sanctions on four companies and four individuals involved in an international network accused of recruiting Colombian fighters to support the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Sudan’s ongoing war.
The sanctions targeted key figures in the network, most notably retired Colombian officer Alejandro Andrés Quijano, who resides in the United Arab Emirates and is considered the mastermind behind the recruitment operations.
The measures also included companies in Colombia, Panama, and the United States that manage contracts, transfer funds, and facilitate the travel of fighters.
In a statement released Tuesday, John Hurley, the Treasury’s Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, said Washington is targeting “a network that recruits fighters for the Rapid Support Forces, which has repeatedly demonstrated its willingness to target civilians, deepen the conflict, and destabilize the region.”
According to the statement, Colombian fighters have played a significant role in RSF operations—from Khartoum and Omdurman to Kordofan and El Fasher, the latter of which the RSF seized in October 2025.
The U.S. State Department had previously determined, in January 2025, that RSF elements committed acts of genocide.
The statement noted that the sanctions are part of Washington’s efforts to prevent the escalation of a conflict that risks turning Sudan into “a safe haven for those who pose a threat to the United States,” and to support international calls for a humanitarian truce, followed by a permanent ceasefire and a political transition toward an independent civilian-led government.
Under the sanctions, all assets belonging to the targeted individuals and entities within the United States are frozen, and Americans are prohibited from conducting any financial transactions with them. Violators face civil and criminal penalties. However, the statement stressed that the purpose of sanctions “is not punishment, but behavioral change,” noting that names may be removed from the sanctions list if they demonstrate compliance with legal standards.
