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The US government has imposed sanctions on a operation of several persons and entities charged of hiring Colombian mercenaries to combat alongside and instruct a militia force in Sudan the United States claims of genocidal acts.

Operation Structure

Revealing the measures on this week, the American treasury stated the network was largely composed of Colombian citizens and firms.

Numerous of former Colombian military personnel have been recruited to go to Sudan to combat beside the RSF paramilitary group, a faction accused of terrible atrocities including targeted ethnic killings and mass abductions.

Emergence of Involvement

The role of these mercenaries was first uncovered the previous year, following an report which revealed that more than 300 retired troops had been contracted to participate in the war – an event that prompted an unprecedented apology from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

Colombian ex-soldiers have widely regarded as some of the most in-demand contractors globally due to their extensive battlefield experience resulting from a long-running domestic war, familiarity with advanced weaponry, and elite military instruction.

Activities in Sudan

In the Sudanese theater, the mercenaries have allegedly instructed child soldiers, provided drone warfare training, and participated in direct battles. An individual involved previously stated that instructing minors was "horrific and irrational" but commented that "unfortunately that’s how war is".

Sanctioned Individuals

Among those targeted was a retired Colombian officer, a citizen of both Colombia and Italy and ex-soldier based in the UAE. The government said he had a central role in recruiting and deploying former Colombian soldiers to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was also sanctioned.

Also on the restricted list was Duque Botero, a individual with Colombian and Spanish citizenship who authorities say managed a business implicated in processing money and salaries for the scheme. "Over the past two years, companies in the United States connected to Duque conducted multiple financial transactions, worth millions," the official announcement noted.

Colombian national Mónica Muñoz was the fourth individual to be targeted, with the company she managed accused of wire transfers connected to Duque and his businesses.

"The US once more urges outside forces to stop giving monetary and weaponry aid to the combatants," the department stated.

Reaction

A senior analyst, with the International Crisis Group, labeled the sanctions as a "very significant" step, stating that "calling out those who are doing the contracting is the correct approach".

Furthermore, Bogotá recently passed a piece of legislation approving the International Convention Against the Recruitment and Use of Mercenaries, seeking to reduce years of participation by its nationals in international fights and reshape its security approach.

Another expert, a authority on private military contractors, called for greater wariness, stating that "sanctions are necessary but insufficient for combating rampant mercenarism".

"It’s an illicit economy and centered in Dubai, which is largely insulated from sanctions," he stated. The UAE has been frequently alleged of supplying weapons to the paramilitary group, allegations it disputes. "More contractors from Colombia are likely," he advised.