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The United States has imposed sanctions on a group of four people and four firms alleged of hiring Colombian mercenaries to support and educate a militia force in Sudan which the US alleges of acts of genocide.

Operation Structure

Disclosing the restrictions on Tuesday, the US Treasury Department stated the network was largely composed of individuals and businesses from Colombia.

Scores of retired Colombian troops have allegedly journeyed to Sudan to operate with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a faction implicated in horrific war crimes including targeted ethnic killings and large-scale abductions.

Emergence of Involvement

The participation of ex-soldiers first came to light the previous year, prompted by an inquiry which disclosed that more than 300 former soldiers had been hired to engage in combat – an discovery that led to an unprecedented apology from officials in Bogotá.

Former Colombian military have widely regarded as among the world’s most sought-after mercenaries due to their vast combat experience gleaned from a long-running domestic war, knowledge of Nato equipment, and high-level combat training.

Reported Actions

In the Sudanese theater, the contractors have been accused of teaching child soldiers, provided drone warfare training, and engaged in frontline combat. One source previously stated that working with child soldiers was "terrible and insane" but added that "unfortunately that’s how war is".

Sanctioned Individuals

Among those penalized was a dual national, a individual with dual citizenship and ex-soldier based in the UAE. The government accused him a pivotal function in recruiting and deploying former Colombian soldiers to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was also sanctioned.

Also on the restricted list was Mateo Andrés Duque Botero, a dual national who officials alleged ran a firm linked to handling funds and payroll for the recruitment operation. "Over the past two years, companies in the United States linked to Duque carried out multiple financial transactions, totalling millions of US dollars," the official announcement stated.

Citizen of Colombia Mónica Muñoz was the fourth individual to be penalized, with the entity she oversaw said to have conducted wire transfers associated with Duque and his businesses.

"Washington reiterates its demand for foreign parties to halt the flow of monetary and weaponry aid to the warring parties," the agency stated.

Expert Analysis

An expert, senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, called the measures as a "major" step, saying that "calling out those who are doing the contracting is the correct approach".

It was also noted that, the Colombian government has enacted a law ratifying the global treaty against mercenarism, aiming to curb years of participation by its nationals in international fights and change its security approach.

Sean McFate, a scholar on the subject, called for greater wariness, saying that "sanctions are necessary but insufficient for dealing with widespread use of contractors".

"This is a shadow economy and operating from Dubai, which is largely insulated from sanctions," he stated. The United Arab Emirates has been widely accused of supplying weapons to the paramilitary group, claims it rejects. "Expect more Colombian mercenaries," the expert cautioned.