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The United States has imposed sanctions on a group of several persons and entities charged of recruiting former Colombian soldiers to combat alongside and instruct a militia force in Sudan the United States claims of acts of genocide.

Operation Structure

Disclosing the measures on Tuesday, the Treasury stated the scheme was mostly comprised of Colombian citizens and firms.

Numerous of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been recruited to go to Sudan to combat beside the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a force accused of terrible atrocities such as targeted ethnic killings and large-scale abductions.

Revelation of Role

The role of these mercenaries first came to light the previous year, prompted by an report which revealed that hundreds of ex-military personnel had been hired to participate in the war – an discovery that resulted in an rare mea culpa from the Colombian government.

Former Colombian military have widely regarded as among the world’s most sought-after mercenaries due to their vast combat experience acquired during years of internal conflict, knowledge of Nato equipment, and high-level combat training.

Activities in Sudan

In Sudan, the contractors have allegedly instructed minors, taught fighters to pilot drones, and fought directly on the frontlines. An individual involved remarked that training children was "awful and crazy" but added that "regrettably, war operates that way".

Named Entities

Among those penalized was Álvaro Andrés Quijano Becerra, a citizen of both Colombia and Italy and ex-soldier based in the Dubai. The government said he had a central role in enlisting and transporting ex-military personnel to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was also sanctioned.

Also on the sanctions list was Mateo Andrés Duque Botero, a individual with Colombian and Spanish citizenship who authorities say ran a firm accused of handling funds and payroll for the scheme. "Recently, American entities associated with Duque carried out numerous wire transfers, worth millions," the government release noted.

Individual Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the other individual to be sanctioned, with the company she managed alleged to have wire transfers linked to Duque and his operations.

"The United States again calls on external actors to cease providing monetary and weaponry aid to the warring parties," the Treasury announced.

Reaction

A senior analyst, with the International Crisis Group, labeled the sanctions as a "very significant" development, noting that "targeting the enablers is the right way to go".

It was also noted that, the Colombian government has enacted a law endorsing the International Convention Against the Recruitment and Use of Mercenaries, designed to limit years of participation by its nationals in international fights and change its security approach.

A mercenary specialist, a authority on private military contractors, urged more caution, noting that "penalties are required yet incomplete for addressing rampant mercenarism".

"It operates in the black market and operating from Dubai, which is relatively sanction-proof," he stated. The UAE has been repeatedly implicated of arming the RSF, an accusation it has denied. "Expect more Colombian mercenaries," the expert cautioned.