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The US government has levied restrictions on a operation of four individuals and four companies charged of enlisting former Colombian soldiers to fight for and train a militia force in Sudan that Washington accuses of acts of genocide.

Group Makeup

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

Numerous of former Colombian military personnel have been recruited to go to Sudan to fight alongside the RSF paramilitary group, a faction accused of horrific war crimes such as ethnically targeted slaughter and widespread kidnappings.

Emergence of Involvement

The participation of ex-soldiers initially emerged last year, following an report which disclosed that over three hundred retired troops had been contracted to engage in combat – an revelation that led to an unprecedented apology from officials in Bogotá.

Former Colombian military have historically been seen as some of the most in-demand contractors globally due to their considerable warzone knowledge gleaned from a long-running domestic war, training on Nato equipment, and superior tactical education.

Reported Actions

In the Sudanese theater, the Colombians have allegedly instructed child soldiers, instructed militiamen in drone operation, and engaged in frontline combat. One source remarked that instructing minors was "awful and crazy" but added that "regrettably, war operates that way".

Targeted Persons

Among those sanctioned was a retired Colombian officer, a individual with dual citizenship and former army officer based in the UAE. The government alleged he played a central role in hiring and sending mercenaries to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Oliveros, was also sanctioned.

Also on the restricted list was Mateo Duque Botero, a dual Colombian-Spanish citizen who authorities say ran a firm accused of managing finances and payments for the scheme. "Recently, US-based firms linked to Duque carried out several money transfers, totalling millions of US dollars," the government release noted.

Individual Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the fourth individual to be penalized, with the company she managed said to have conducted money transfers linked to Duque and his operations.

"The US once more urges foreign parties to cease providing financial and military support to the combatants," the Treasury stated.

Reaction

A senior analyst, from a conflict think tank, described the sanctions as a "highly important" milestone, saying that "identifying the recruiters is the correct approach".

She added that, Colombia ratified a statute approving the global treaty against mercenarism, aiming to curb its citizens' long history in international fights and change national security policy.

A mercenary specialist, a scholar on the subject, called for greater wariness, noting that "penalties are required yet incomplete for dealing with widespread use of contractors".

"This is a shadow economy and operating from the Emirates, which is relatively sanction-proof," he stated. The UAE has been widely accused of providing arms to the militia, allegations it disputes. "More contractors from Colombia are likely," he advised.