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The United States has imposed sanctions on a operation of four individuals and four companies alleged of recruiting Colombian mercenaries to combat alongside and instruct a armed faction in Sudan which the US alleges of committing genocide.

Operation Structure

Revealing the measures on Tuesday, the American treasury stated the scheme was primarily made up of Colombian nationals and companies.

Scores of ex-soldiers from Colombia have reportedly travelled to Sudan to fight alongside the RSF paramilitary group, a force linked to horrific war crimes such as targeted ethnic killings and widespread kidnappings.

Revelation of Role

The participation of ex-soldiers was first uncovered the previous year, after an report which revealed that over three hundred former soldiers had been hired to engage in combat – an discovery that prompted an unprecedented apology from officials in Bogotá.

Colombian ex-soldiers have long been considered as highly prized fighters in conflict zones due to their considerable warzone knowledge gleaned from decades of civil war, knowledge of Western military gear, and high-level combat training.

Reported Actions

In the Sudanese theater, the Colombians have been accused of teaching child soldiers, taught fighters to pilot drones, and participated in direct battles. An individual involved remarked that instructing minors was "awful and crazy" but commented that "sadly, that is the nature of conflict".

Targeted Persons

Among those penalized was a retired Colombian officer, a citizen of both Colombia and Italy and retired Colombian military officer based in the United Arab Emirates. The Treasury said he had a central role in enlisting and transporting ex-military personnel to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Oliveros, was penalized as well.

Also on the penalty list was Mateo Andrés Duque Botero, a dual Colombian-Spanish citizen who officials alleged managed a business linked to handling funds and payroll for the recruitment operation. "Recently, American entities linked to Duque engaged in numerous wire transfers, amounting to millions," the Treasury statement noted.

Colombian national Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the final person to be penalized, with the entity she oversaw alleged to have financial transactions linked to Duque and his operations.

"Washington reiterates its demand for foreign parties to halt the flow of funding and arms to the combatants," the agency announced.

Expert Analysis

A senior analyst, with the International Crisis Group, described the sanctions as a "very significant" step, stating that "calling out those who are doing the contracting is the right way to go".

Furthermore, the Colombian government ratified a piece of legislation ratifying the global treaty against mercenarism, seeking to reduce years of participation by its nationals in international fights and transform national security policy.

A mercenary specialist, a authority on private military contractors, urged more caution, stating that "penalties are required yet incomplete for combating rampant mercenarism".

"This is a shadow economy and based out of the UAE, which is relatively sanction-proof," he said. The UAE has been frequently alleged of supplying weapons to the paramilitary group, an accusation it has denied. "More contractors from Colombia are likely," he advised.