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The US government has levied restrictions on a operation of four individuals and four companies charged of hiring Colombian mercenaries to combat alongside and instruct a Sudanese paramilitary group the United States claims of committing genocide.

Network Composition

Disclosing the restrictions on this week, the US Treasury Department stated the operation was primarily made up of individuals and businesses from Colombia.

Hundreds of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been recruited to go to the Sudanese warzone to operate with the Sudanese RSF militia, a force linked to terrible atrocities such as targeted ethnic killings and mass abductions.

Discovery of Participation

The participation of ex-soldiers was first uncovered last year, prompted by an investigation which revealed that more than 300 former soldiers had been hired to participate in the war – an discovery that resulted in an unprecedented apology from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

These South American veterans have historically been seen as some of the most in-demand contractors globally due to their extensive battlefield experience gleaned from a long-running domestic war, familiarity with Western military gear, and high-level combat training.

Activities in Sudan

In the Sudanese theater, the mercenaries have reportedly trained minors, taught fighters to pilot drones, and fought directly on the frontlines. A mercenary remarked that working with child soldiers was "horrific and irrational" but added that "unfortunately that’s how war is".

Named Entities

Among those sanctioned was a dual national, a dual Colombian-Italian national and ex-soldier located in the UAE. The Treasury alleged he played a pivotal function in hiring and sending former Colombian soldiers to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was also sanctioned.

Also on the sanctions list was Duque Botero, a dual national who authorities say managed a business implicated in processing money and salaries for the network. "Over the past two years, American entities associated with Duque conducted numerous wire transfers, amounting to millions," the Treasury statement said.

Colombian national Mónica Muñoz was the other individual to be penalized, with the entity she oversaw accused of wire transfers associated with Duque and his operations.

"The US once more urges external actors to cease providing monetary and weaponry aid to the combatants," the agency said in a statement.

Reaction

Elizabeth Dickinson, with the International Crisis Group, called the sanctions as a "major" step, noting that "calling out those who are doing the contracting is the right way to go".

It was also noted that, the Colombian government recently passed a piece of legislation endorsing the global treaty against mercenarism, seeking to reduce its citizens' long history in international fights and change domestic defense strategy.

Another expert, a authority on private military contractors, called for greater wariness, saying that "sanctions are necessary but insufficient for addressing rampant mercenarism".

"It operates in the black market and operating from the Emirates, which is relatively sanction-proof," he commented. The UAE has been frequently alleged of providing arms to the militia, an accusation it has denied. "This trend will probably continue," McFate warned.