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The United States has levied restrictions on a group of several persons and entities charged of enlisting former Colombian soldiers to support and educate a armed faction in Sudan the United States claims of genocidal acts.

Group Makeup

Revealing the sanctions on this week, the American treasury stated the operation was largely composed of Colombian nationals and companies.

Numerous of retired Colombian troops have allegedly journeyed to the conflict in Sudan to combat beside the RSF paramilitary group, a faction accused of horrific war crimes such as massacres based on ethnicity and mass abductions.

Emergence of Involvement

The role of these mercenaries first came to light the previous year, prompted by an inquiry which found that more than 300 former soldiers had been contracted to participate in the war – an event that resulted in an rare mea culpa from the Colombian government.

Former Colombian military have historically been seen as among the world’s most sought-after mercenaries due to their extensive battlefield experience resulting from decades of civil war, knowledge of Western military gear, and elite military instruction.

Activities in Sudan

In the conflict, the contractors have allegedly instructed minors, instructed militiamen in drone operation, and engaged in frontline combat. An individual involved previously stated that training children was "terrible and insane" but added that "unfortunately that’s how war is".

Sanctioned Individuals

Among those sanctioned was Álvaro Andrés Quijano Becerra, a citizen of both Colombia and Italy and retired Colombian military officer operating from the Dubai. The US authorities said he had a central role in enlisting and transporting mercenaries to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Oliveros, was penalized as well.

Also on the sanctions list was Mateo Duque Botero, a dual Colombian-Spanish citizen who the Treasury stated ran a firm accused of handling funds and payroll for the network. "Recently, American entities linked to Duque engaged in several money transfers, worth millions," the Treasury statement noted.

Colombian national Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the other individual to be sanctioned, with the entity she oversaw said to have conducted money transfers connected to Duque and his businesses.

"Washington reiterates its demand for external actors to halt the flow of funding and arms to the warring parties," the agency stated.

Analyst Commentary

An expert, from a conflict think tank, called the measures as a "major" step, saying that "identifying the recruiters is the right way to go".

It was also noted that, the Colombian government ratified a piece of legislation ratifying the International Convention Against the Recruitment and Use of Mercenaries, seeking to reduce years of participation by its nationals in international fights and transform national security policy.

Sean McFate, an expert on mercenaries, called for greater wariness, saying that "penalties are required yet incomplete for dealing with widespread use of contractors".

"It’s an illicit economy and operating from Dubai, which is relatively sanction-proof," he said. The United Arab Emirates has been repeatedly implicated of providing arms to the militia, an accusation it has denied. "Expect more Colombian mercenaries," the expert cautioned.