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The Washington has levied restrictions on a network of several persons and entities charged of hiring former Colombian soldiers to support and educate a militia force in Sudan which the US alleges of genocidal acts.

Network Composition

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

Hundreds of retired Colombian troops have reportedly travelled to the Sudanese warzone to fight alongside the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a group implicated in horrific war crimes including ethnically targeted slaughter and mass abductions.

Discovery of Participation

The participation of ex-soldiers first came to light in 2024, prompted by an investigation which found that over three hundred ex-military personnel had been recruited to engage in combat – an event that resulted in an unusual statement of regret from officials in Bogotá.

Former Colombian military have long been considered as among the world’s most sought-after mercenaries due to their considerable warzone knowledge resulting from decades of civil war, knowledge of Nato equipment, and high-level combat training.

Reported Actions

In the Sudanese theater, the Colombians have allegedly instructed child soldiers, taught fighters to pilot drones, and engaged in frontline combat. An individual involved previously stated that working with child soldiers was "terrible and insane" but commented that "sadly, that is the nature of conflict".

Targeted Persons

Among those targeted was Álvaro Andrés Quijano Becerra, a citizen of both Colombia and Italy and ex-soldier operating from the United Arab Emirates. The US authorities said he had a central role in enlisting and transporting ex-military personnel to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was penalized as well.

Also on the penalty list was Mateo Andrés Duque Botero, a individual with Colombian and Spanish citizenship who officials alleged ran a firm linked to processing money and salaries for the recruitment operation. "Recently, US-based firms associated with Duque carried out numerous wire transfers, totalling millions of US dollars," the government release said.

Citizen of Colombia Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the other individual to be penalized, with the company she managed accused of wire transfers associated with Duque and his operations.

"Washington reiterates its demand for external actors to cease providing funding and arms to the combatants," the department announced.

Expert Analysis

Elizabeth Dickinson, from a conflict think tank, labeled the actions as a "highly important" step, stating that "identifying the recruiters is the right way to go".

She added that, Colombia has enacted a statute approving the global treaty against mercenarism, designed to limit its citizens' long history in foreign conflicts and transform domestic defense strategy.

A mercenary specialist, an expert on mercenaries, advised additional measures, saying that "penalties are required yet incomplete for dealing with rampant mercenarism".

"This is a shadow economy and operating from the Emirates, which is relatively sanction-proof," he stated. The Emirati government has been widely accused of arming the RSF, allegations it disputes. "This trend will probably continue," the expert cautioned.