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The United States has imposed sanctions on a network of four people and four firms alleged of enlisting former Colombian soldiers to combat alongside and instruct a armed faction in Sudan that Washington accuses of acts of genocide.

Operation Structure

Revealing the restrictions on Tuesday, the US Treasury Department stated the scheme was primarily made up of Colombian nationals and companies.

Hundreds of retired Colombian troops have reportedly travelled to the Sudanese warzone to operate with the Sudanese RSF militia, a group implicated in severe violations such as ethnically targeted slaughter and widespread kidnappings.

Revelation of Role

The involvement of Colombian fighters was first uncovered last year, after an inquiry which disclosed that more than 300 ex-military personnel had been contracted to fight – an revelation that prompted an rare mea culpa from officials in Bogotá.

These South American veterans have historically been seen as some of the most in-demand contractors globally due to their considerable warzone knowledge resulting from years of internal conflict, knowledge of advanced weaponry, and high-level combat training.

Reported Actions

In the conflict, the mercenaries have allegedly instructed minors, taught fighters to pilot drones, and engaged in frontline combat. A mercenary remarked that training children was "horrific and irrational" but commented that "sadly, that is the nature of conflict".

Named Entities

Among those targeted was a retired Colombian officer, a citizen of both Colombia and Italy and ex-soldier operating from the United Arab Emirates. The US authorities alleged he played a key part in enlisting and transporting mercenaries to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Oliveros, was also sanctioned.

Also on the penalty list was Mateo Duque Botero, a dual Colombian-Spanish citizen who authorities say oversaw a company accused of managing finances and payments for the recruitment operation. "Recently, American entities linked to Duque carried out numerous wire transfers, amounting to millions," the official announcement stated.

Citizen of Colombia Mónica Muñoz was the final person to be targeted, with the firm she operated alleged to have wire transfers associated with Duque and his operations.

"The United States again calls on external actors to stop giving funding and arms to the warring parties," the Treasury said in a statement.

Reaction

Elizabeth Dickinson, from a conflict think tank, described the measures as a "major" development, noting that "targeting the enablers is the right way to go".

Furthermore, Bogotá has enacted a piece of legislation endorsing the International Convention Against the Recruitment and Use of Mercenaries, aiming to curb decades of Colombian involvement in foreign conflicts and change national security policy.

A mercenary specialist, an expert on mercenaries, advised additional measures, stating that "restrictions are needed but not enough for dealing with rampant mercenarism".

"It’s an illicit economy and operating from the UAE, which is difficult to penalize," he commented. The Emirati government has been repeatedly implicated of providing arms to the militia, allegations it disputes. "Expect more Colombian mercenaries," the expert cautioned.