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The US government has imposed sanctions on a operation of four individuals and four companies accused of hiring former Colombian soldiers to support and educate a armed faction in Sudan that Washington accuses of genocidal acts.

Group Makeup

Revealing the restrictions on Tuesday, the US Treasury Department stated the scheme was largely composed of Colombian nationals and companies.

Hundreds of ex-soldiers from Colombia have allegedly journeyed to the Sudanese warzone to operate with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a group implicated in horrific war crimes such as massacres based on ethnicity and large-scale abductions.

Revelation of Role

The role of these mercenaries was first uncovered last year, following an inquiry which disclosed that hundreds of ex-military personnel had been hired to fight – an revelation that led to an unprecedented apology from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

These South American veterans have long been considered as among the world’s most sought-after mercenaries due to their vast combat experience resulting from a long-running domestic war, training on Western military gear, and high-level combat training.

Role in the Conflict

In the Sudanese theater, the Colombians have been accused of teaching underage fighters, provided drone warfare training, and participated in direct battles. An individual involved was quoted as saying that working with child soldiers was "horrific and irrational" but added that "sadly, that is the nature of conflict".

Sanctioned Individuals

Among those penalized was Álvaro Andrés Quijano Becerra, a dual Colombian-Italian national and retired Colombian military officer based in the Dubai. The Treasury alleged he played a central role in enlisting and transporting ex-military personnel to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was also sanctioned.

Also on the penalty list was Mateo Duque Botero, a dual national who authorities say oversaw a company linked to managing finances and payments for the scheme. "Recently, US-based firms connected to Duque engaged in numerous wire transfers, amounting to millions," the official announcement noted.

Colombian national Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the other individual to be penalized, with the company she managed accused of wire transfers associated with Duque and his businesses.

"The United States again calls on external actors to halt the flow of financial and military support to the warring parties," the agency stated.

Analyst Commentary

An expert, from a conflict think tank, labeled the measures as a "very significant" milestone, noting that "identifying the recruiters is the proper strategy".

It was also noted that, the Colombian government has enacted a piece of legislation endorsing the International Convention Against the Recruitment and Use of Mercenaries, seeking to reduce years of participation by its nationals in overseas wars and change domestic defense strategy.

Sean McFate, a scholar on the subject, urged more caution, noting that "penalties are required yet incomplete for dealing with rampant mercenarism".

"It operates in the black market and operating from the Emirates, which is relatively sanction-proof," he said. The Emirati government has been repeatedly implicated of arming the RSF, allegations it disputes. "More contractors from Colombia are likely," he advised.