U.S. sanctions network recruiting Colombian mercenaries for Sudan’s RSF
April 17, 2026 (WASHINGTON) – The U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) on Friday imposed sanctions on a network of individuals and entities involved in recruiting foreign fighters to bolster the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Sudan.
The Treasury identified a sophisticated network accused of recruiting and deploying foreign combatants—primarily from Colombia—to fight alongside the RSF. According to the department, this network has facilitated the transfer of hundreds of former Colombian soldiers to Sudan since 2024, where they participated in key battles, including the siege of Al Fasher in North Darfur.
Among the key figures sanctioned is Jose Oscar Garcia Batte, a former army colonel and owner of the International Services Agency S.A.S. (A4SI). Batte, who maintains addresses in Bogota and Dubai, is accused of using his firm to recruit specialized personnel, including snipers and drone operators.
His brother, Omar Fernando Garcia Batte, was also designated for his role in managing Global Qowa Al Basheria S.A.S. (GQAB), a recruitment firm also known as “Mi Futuro Global.” Both brothers are linked to operations that channeled fighters into the Sudanese conflict under the guise of private security contracting.
The sanctions also targeted Jose Libardo Quijano Torres, who served as a director for Fenix Human Resources S.A.S. (HRFenix). This entity was established in February 2025 as a front to continue recruitment activities after previous firms faced international scrutiny.
The U.S. also designated Talent Bridge S.A., based in Panama, which allegedly served as a financial intermediary to mask the flow of funds between the RSF and the recruitment networks.
The Treasury noted that some of these entities had attempted to circumvent prior sanctions by operating under alternative names and new corporate identities. The move was taken under Executive Order 14098, which targets those destabilizing Sudan and threatening its peace and territorial integrity.
“These networks of mercenaries exacerbate the suffering of the Sudanese people and prolong a conflict that has already displaced millions,” the Treasury stated.
The designations come as part of a broader OFAC update that also included several Iraqi nationals linked to various regional armed groups, though the focus in the Horn of Africa remains on dismantling the supply lines of foreign fighters to the warring parties in Sudan.