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The United States has imposed sanctions on a operation of four individuals and four companies accused of enlisting former Colombian soldiers to support and educate a militia force in Sudan that Washington accuses of acts of genocide.

Group Makeup

Announcing the restrictions on Tuesday, the American treasury stated the scheme was primarily made up of Colombian nationals and companies.

Hundreds of retired Colombian troops have been recruited to go to Sudan to combat beside the Sudanese RSF militia, a group implicated in terrible atrocities including ethnically targeted slaughter and mass abductions.

Revelation of Role

The participation of ex-soldiers initially emerged the previous year, prompted by an report which disclosed that over three hundred former soldiers had been hired to engage in combat – an revelation that resulted in an rare mea culpa from the Colombian government.

Former Colombian military have long been considered as among the world’s most sought-after mercenaries due to their considerable warzone knowledge gleaned from decades of civil war, training on Western military gear, and superior tactical education.

Reported Actions

In the Sudanese theater, the Colombians have been accused of teaching minors, instructed militiamen in drone operation, and engaged in frontline combat. A mercenary remarked that working with child soldiers was "awful and crazy" but added that "sadly, that is the nature of conflict".

Sanctioned Individuals

Among those penalized was Álvaro Andrés Quijano Becerra, a individual with dual citizenship and ex-soldier based in the Dubai. The government said he had a central role in enlisting and transporting mercenaries to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Oliveros, was also sanctioned.

Also on the penalty list was Mateo Andrés Duque Botero, a dual national who the Treasury stated oversaw a company accused of processing money and salaries for the recruitment operation. "Over the past two years, companies in the United States connected to Duque carried out several money transfers, amounting to millions," the Treasury statement noted.

Citizen of Colombia Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the fourth individual to be targeted, with the firm she operated alleged to have wire transfers linked to Duque and his operations.

"The US once more urges foreign parties to stop giving funding and arms to the warring parties," the department said in a statement.

Analyst Commentary

Elizabeth Dickinson, with the International Crisis Group, labeled the measures as a "highly important" step, noting that "targeting the enablers is the correct approach".

Furthermore, the Colombian government ratified a piece of legislation ratifying the global treaty against mercenarism, designed to limit years of participation by its nationals in overseas wars and reshape its security approach.

Sean McFate, a authority on private military contractors, called for greater wariness, saying that "penalties are required yet incomplete for dealing with rampant mercenarism".

"This is a shadow economy and centered in the UAE, which is difficult to penalize," he stated. The UAE has been repeatedly implicated of arming the RSF, claims it rejects. "This trend will probably continue," the expert cautioned.