US imposes sanctions on network it accuses of fuelling war in Sudan
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox
The US Treasury Department said it imposed sanctions on four individuals and four entities that were part of the network, which it said was largely comprised Colombian nationals and companies.
PHOTO: REUTERS
- US sanctions target a network recruiting ex-Colombian military fighters for Sudan's RSF paramilitary group, which it accuses of genocide.
- Hundreds of Colombians provide tactical expertise, infantry, drone piloting, and child soldier training for the RSF in Sudan, says the US Treasury.
- The US urges external actors to stop supporting warring parties (RSF and Sudanese army) amidst famine, ethnic killings and displacement.
AI generated
WASHINGTON – The US on Dec 9 imposed sanctions on actors it accused of fuelling the war in Sudan, taking aim at what it said was a transnational network that recruits former Colombian military personnel and trains soldiers, including children, to fight for the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
The US Treasury Department in a statement seen by Reuters said that it imposed sanctions on four individuals and four entities that were part of the network, which it said was largely comprised Colombian nationals and companies.
The Treasury said that since at least 2024, hundreds of former Colombian military personnel have travelled to Sudan to fight alongside the RSF, which the US has accused of committing genocide.
The Colombians have provided the RSF with tactical and training expertise and served as infantry and artillerymen, drone pilots and instructors, among other roles, with some training children to fight for the paramilitary group, according to Treasury, which added that Colombian fighters have participated in battles across Sudan, including in the capital Khartoum and al-Fashir.
“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 destabilised the region, creating the conditions for terrorist groups to grow,” Treasury Undersecretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, Mr John Hurley, said in the statement.
Among those targeted was Alvaro Andres Quijano Becerra, who the Treasury said was a dual Colombian-Italian national and a retired Colombian military officer based in the United Arab Emirates. It accused him of playing a central role in recruiting and deploying former Colombian military personnel to Sudan.
The UAE has been widely accused of arming the RSF, an accusation it has denied.
“The United States again calls on external actors to cease providing financial and military support to the belligerents,” the Treasury said in the statement.
The conflict between the Sudanese army and the RSF erupted in April 2023 out of a power struggle and has triggered famine, ethnic killings and mass displacement. In November, US President Donald Trump said he would intervene to stop the conflict.
The United States, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Saudi Arabia – known as the Quad – earlier in November proposed a plan for a three-month truce followed by peace talks. The RSF responded by saying it had accepted the plan, but soon after attacked army territory with a barrage of drone strikes. REUTERS
