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The United States has levied restrictions on a group of four individuals and four companies alleged of enlisting Colombian mercenaries to combat alongside and instruct a militia force in Sudan that Washington accuses of genocidal acts.

Network Composition

Revealing the measures on this week, the Treasury stated the network was primarily made up of Colombian citizens and firms.

Hundreds of former Colombian military personnel have been recruited to go to the conflict in Sudan to combat beside the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a group accused of terrible atrocities including targeted ethnic killings and large-scale abductions.

Revelation of Role

The participation of ex-soldiers first came to light last year, after an inquiry which found that over three hundred ex-military personnel had been hired to fight – an revelation that resulted in an unusual statement of regret from officials in Bogotá.

These South American veterans have widely regarded as among the world’s most sought-after mercenaries due to their considerable warzone knowledge gleaned from a long-running domestic war, knowledge of Western military gear, and elite military instruction.

Reported Actions

In the Sudanese theater, the mercenaries have been accused of teaching minors, instructed militiamen in drone operation, and engaged in frontline combat. A mercenary remarked that training children was "horrific and irrational" but added that "regrettably, war operates that way".

Sanctioned Individuals

Among those sanctioned was a retired Colombian officer, a individual with dual citizenship and ex-soldier based in the Dubai. The Treasury said he had a pivotal function in enlisting and transporting ex-military personnel to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was penalized as well.

Also on the restricted list was Mateo Andrés Duque Botero, a dual national who authorities say managed a business implicated in processing money and salaries for the network. "Over the past two years, companies in the United States linked to Duque carried out numerous wire transfers, amounting to millions," the official announcement noted.

Citizen of Colombia Mónica Muñoz was the fourth individual to be targeted, with the entity she oversaw alleged to have wire transfers linked to Duque and his businesses.

"The US once more urges foreign parties to halt the flow of monetary and weaponry aid to the belligerents," the department stated.

Reaction

Elizabeth Dickinson, from a conflict think tank, described the actions as a "highly important" milestone, stating that "calling out those who are doing the contracting is the proper strategy".

It was also noted that, the Colombian government recently passed a statute approving the International Convention Against the Recruitment and Use of Mercenaries, designed to limit decades of Colombian involvement in foreign conflicts and transform its security approach.

Sean McFate, a scholar on the subject, advised additional measures, stating that "restrictions are needed but not enough for dealing with widespread use of contractors".

"It operates in the black market and based out of Dubai, which is largely insulated from sanctions," he commented. The Emirati government has been frequently alleged of arming the RSF, claims it rejects. "Expect more Colombian mercenaries," he advised.