The US on Friday imposed sanctions on five people and entities accused of recruiting and deploying former Colombian military personnel to fight in Sudan.
The civil war in Sudan began in April 2023 when conflict broke out between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. Those named in the new sanctions are accused of fighting on the side of the RSF.
"This network has fuelled the conflict, which has given rise to one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises and famines," a statement from the Treasury Department read.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent called on the warring sides to "end this humanitarian crisis immediately".
The sanctions name three Colombian citizens - Jose Libardo Quijano Torres, Jose Oscar Garcia Batte and Omar Fernando Garcia Batte - and two Colombia-based companies - Fenix Human Resources and Global Qowa Al-Basheria.
A retired Colombian military officer, Alvaro Andres Quijano Becerra, was sanctioned in December last year, accused of playing a central role in recruiting and deploying former soldiers to Sudan.
"Since 2024, hundreds of former Colombian soldiers have travelled to Sudan to support the RSF, serving in combat and technical roles and participating in battles across the country, including El Fasher," the Treasury statement said.
The International Criminal Court said in January that war crimes and crimes against humanity had been committed in El Fasher, the Sudanese military's last holdout position in Darfur. Reports of mass killings, sexual violence, abductions and looting emerged after the RSF's takeover.
Sudan is experiencing the world's largest humanitarian crisis, according to the UN. It is unclear how many people have been killed in the conflict, with some estimates about 100,000. About 14 million people have been displaced.
