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The United States has enforced penalties on a network of four individuals and four companies alleged of enlisting former Colombian soldiers to combat alongside and instruct a Sudanese paramilitary group that Washington accuses of committing genocide.

Operation Structure

Announcing the restrictions on this week, the US Treasury Department stated the scheme was primarily made up of Colombian nationals and companies.

Numerous of former Colombian military personnel have reportedly travelled to the conflict in Sudan to fight alongside the RSF paramilitary group, a faction implicated in horrific war crimes such as massacres based on ethnicity and widespread kidnappings.

Discovery of Participation

The involvement of Colombian fighters was first uncovered last year, after an inquiry which disclosed that over three hundred ex-military personnel had been recruited to participate in the war – an event that led to an unprecedented apology from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

Former Colombian military have long been considered as among the world’s most sought-after mercenaries due to their considerable warzone knowledge gleaned from a long-running domestic war, familiarity with advanced weaponry, and high-level combat training.

Activities in Sudan

In the Sudanese theater, the mercenaries have reportedly trained underage fighters, provided drone warfare training, and participated in direct battles. One source was quoted as saying that working with child soldiers was "horrific and irrational" but noted that "sadly, that is the nature of conflict".

Sanctioned Individuals

Among those targeted was Álvaro Andrés Quijano Becerra, a citizen of both Colombia and Italy and ex-soldier located in the United Arab Emirates. The government accused him a pivotal function in recruiting and deploying mercenaries to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Oliveros, was similarly targeted.

Also on the restricted list was Mateo Duque Botero, a individual with Colombian and Spanish citizenship who officials alleged oversaw a company implicated in handling funds and payroll for the scheme. "Recently, American entities associated with Duque conducted several money transfers, amounting to millions," the official announcement stated.

Citizen of Colombia Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the fourth individual to be targeted, with the company she managed accused of money transfers linked to Duque and his companies.

"Washington reiterates its demand for external actors to halt the flow of monetary and weaponry aid to the warring parties," the Treasury announced.

Expert Analysis

A senior analyst, senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, described the sanctions as a "major" development, noting that "calling out those who are doing the contracting is the proper strategy".

Furthermore, Colombia ratified a piece of legislation approving the global treaty against mercenarism, seeking to reduce its citizens' long history in international fights and transform national security policy.

A mercenary specialist, an expert on mercenaries, advised additional measures, saying that "restrictions are needed but not enough for combating rampant mercenarism".

"It’s an illicit economy and based out of the UAE, which is difficult to penalize," he said. The United Arab Emirates has been repeatedly implicated of providing arms to the militia, allegations it disputes. "This trend will probably continue," the expert cautioned.