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The US government has levied restrictions on a group of four people and four firms alleged of recruiting former Colombian soldiers to fight for and train a militia force in Sudan that Washington accuses of committing genocide.

Network Composition

Revealing the sanctions on this week, the American treasury stated the network was mostly comprised of Colombian nationals and companies.

Hundreds of former Colombian military personnel have allegedly journeyed to the conflict in Sudan to operate with the Sudanese RSF militia, a faction implicated in terrible atrocities such as targeted ethnic killings and widespread kidnappings.

Discovery of Participation

The involvement of Colombian fighters was first uncovered last year, following an report which found that more than 300 retired troops had been contracted to engage in combat – an discovery that resulted in an unusual statement of regret from the Colombian government.

These South American veterans have historically been seen as among the world’s most sought-after mercenaries due to their considerable warzone knowledge resulting from years of internal conflict, familiarity with Nato equipment, and high-level combat training.

Activities in Sudan

In Sudan, the mercenaries have allegedly instructed child soldiers, taught fighters to pilot drones, and engaged in frontline combat. An individual involved remarked that instructing minors was "terrible and insane" but noted that "sadly, that is the nature of conflict".

Named Entities

Among those penalized was a dual national, a individual with dual citizenship and former army officer based in the Dubai. The government accused him a key part in enlisting and transporting mercenaries to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was also sanctioned.

Also on the penalty list was Mateo Andrés Duque Botero, a dual national who the Treasury stated ran a firm implicated in processing money and salaries for the recruitment operation. "Over the past two years, companies in the United States associated with Duque engaged in several money transfers, totalling millions of US dollars," the Treasury statement noted.

Individual Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the other individual to be sanctioned, with the firm she operated said to have conducted wire transfers connected to Duque and his businesses.

"The US once more urges external actors to halt the flow of funding and arms to the combatants," the Treasury said in a statement.

Analyst Commentary

An expert, from a conflict think tank, called the measures as a "highly important" development, noting that "identifying the recruiters is the correct approach".

She added that, Colombia has enacted a piece of legislation approving the global treaty against mercenarism, seeking to reduce years of participation by its nationals in foreign conflicts and transform national security policy.

Sean McFate, a scholar on the subject, advised additional measures, noting that "sanctions are necessary but insufficient for combating rampant mercenarism".

"It operates in the black market and based out of the UAE, which is largely insulated from sanctions," he commented. The United Arab Emirates has been frequently alleged of supplying weapons to the paramilitary group, claims it rejects. "More contractors from Colombia are likely," McFate warned.