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The United States has imposed sanctions on a operation of four individuals and four companies accused of hiring Colombian mercenaries to fight for and train a Sudanese paramilitary group that Washington accuses of committing genocide.

Group Makeup

Revealing the sanctions on this week, the Treasury stated the operation was largely composed of individuals and businesses from Colombia.

Hundreds of retired Colombian troops have allegedly journeyed to the conflict in Sudan to combat beside the Sudanese RSF militia, a group accused of terrible atrocities including targeted ethnic killings and widespread kidnappings.

Revelation of Role

The participation of ex-soldiers first came to light the previous year, prompted by an investigation which revealed that over three hundred ex-military personnel had been recruited to engage in combat – an discovery that led to an unprecedented apology from the Colombian government.

Former Colombian military have widely regarded as some of the most in-demand contractors globally due to their vast combat experience acquired during decades of civil war, training on Western military gear, and high-level combat training.

Reported Actions

In the Sudanese theater, the Colombians have reportedly trained underage fighters, provided drone warfare training, and engaged in frontline combat. One source was quoted as saying that instructing minors was "horrific and irrational" but added that "sadly, that is the nature of conflict".

Sanctioned Individuals

Among those targeted was a dual national, a citizen of both Colombia and Italy and retired Colombian military officer located in the United Arab Emirates. The government alleged he played a central role in enlisting and transporting mercenaries to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was penalized as well.

Also on the restricted list was Duque Botero, a individual with Colombian and Spanish citizenship who the Treasury stated oversaw a company linked to processing money and salaries for the network. "Recently, American entities linked to Duque engaged in several money transfers, worth millions," the official announcement noted.

Individual Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the fourth individual to be penalized, with the entity she oversaw accused of financial transactions connected to Duque and his businesses.

"The United States again calls on foreign parties to cease providing funding and arms to the combatants," the agency said in a statement.

Expert Analysis

A senior analyst, with the International Crisis Group, labeled the measures as a "very significant" milestone, noting that "identifying the recruiters is the correct approach".

She added that, Bogotá ratified a piece of legislation ratifying the global treaty against mercenarism, designed to limit its citizens' long history in international fights and change its security approach.

Sean McFate, a scholar on the subject, urged more caution, noting that "sanctions are necessary but insufficient for dealing with rampant mercenarism".

"It operates in the black market and based out of the Emirates, which is difficult to penalize," he stated. The United Arab Emirates has been repeatedly implicated of arming the RSF, claims it rejects. "This trend will probably continue," the expert cautioned.