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The United States has levied restrictions on a group of several persons and entities charged of enlisting Colombian mercenaries to combat alongside and instruct a armed faction in Sudan that Washington accuses of committing genocide.

Network Composition

Disclosing the sanctions on Tuesday, the American treasury stated the scheme was largely composed of Colombian citizens and firms.

Hundreds of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been recruited to go to the conflict in Sudan to operate with the Sudanese RSF militia, a faction accused of horrific war crimes such as massacres based on ethnicity and mass abductions.

Emergence of Involvement

The participation of ex-soldiers was first uncovered last year, following an inquiry which revealed that hundreds of ex-military personnel had been hired to engage in combat – an event that led to an rare mea culpa from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

These South American veterans have historically been seen as highly prized fighters in conflict zones due to their considerable warzone knowledge gleaned from a long-running domestic war, training on Western military gear, and elite military instruction.

Activities in Sudan

In the Sudanese theater, the contractors have been accused of teaching minors, taught fighters to pilot drones, and participated in direct battles. One source remarked that instructing minors was "terrible and insane" but commented that "regrettably, war operates that way".

Sanctioned Individuals

Among those targeted was Álvaro Andrés Quijano Becerra, a citizen of both Colombia and Italy and former army officer operating from the United Arab Emirates. The government alleged he played a central role in hiring and sending mercenaries to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Oliveros, was penalized as well.

Also on the sanctions list was Mateo Andrés Duque Botero, a individual with Colombian and Spanish citizenship who officials alleged oversaw a company accused of handling funds and payroll for the network. "Over the past two years, American entities linked to Duque carried out several money transfers, worth millions," the Treasury statement noted.

Colombian national Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the final person to be sanctioned, with the firm she operated accused of wire transfers connected to Duque and his operations.

"The United States again calls on outside forces to cease providing funding and arms to the belligerents," the agency announced.

Expert Analysis

An expert, from a conflict think tank, described the actions as a "highly important" development, noting that "targeting the enablers is the correct approach".

It was also noted that, Bogotá has enacted a statute ratifying the International Convention Against the Recruitment and Use of Mercenaries, aiming to curb decades of Colombian involvement in foreign conflicts and change domestic defense strategy.

Sean McFate, an expert on mercenaries, advised additional measures, noting that "sanctions are necessary but insufficient for addressing the growing mercenary trade".

"It operates in the black market and centered in the Emirates, which is difficult to penalize," he commented. The United Arab Emirates has been repeatedly implicated of supplying weapons to the paramilitary group, claims it rejects. "This trend will probably continue," the expert cautioned.