Washington Levies Restrictions on Operation Accused of Recruiting Colombian Contractors to Sudan.

The United States has imposed sanctions on a network of four individuals and four companies charged of recruiting Colombian mercenaries to support and educate a militia force in Sudan which the US alleges of genocidal acts.

Group Makeup

Disclosing the measures on Tuesday, the Treasury stated the operation was primarily made up of Colombian citizens and firms.

Scores of former Colombian military personnel have reportedly travelled to the Sudanese warzone to combat beside the RSF paramilitary group, a group linked to horrific war crimes such as massacres based on ethnicity and mass abductions.

Discovery of Participation

The involvement of Colombian fighters first came to light the previous year, after an investigation which revealed that more than 300 ex-military personnel had been contracted to engage in combat – an discovery that resulted in an unusual statement of regret from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

Former Colombian military have long been considered as some of the most in-demand contractors globally due to their considerable warzone knowledge resulting from years of internal conflict, familiarity with advanced weaponry, and high-level combat training.

Reported Actions

In Sudan, the mercenaries have been accused of teaching minors, taught fighters to pilot drones, and participated in direct battles. A mercenary remarked that working with child soldiers was "awful and crazy" but noted that "regrettably, war operates that way".

Sanctioned Individuals

Among those targeted was a dual national, a dual Colombian-Italian national and retired Colombian military officer located in the Dubai. The Treasury said he had a central role in hiring and sending former Colombian soldiers to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was penalized as well.

Also on the penalty list was Mateo Andrés Duque Botero, a dual national who the Treasury stated ran a firm accused of managing finances and payments for the scheme. "Recently, companies in the United States linked to Duque engaged in multiple financial transactions, worth millions," the official announcement said.

Individual Mónica Muñoz was the final person to be targeted, with the company she managed alleged to have money transfers connected to Duque and his operations.

"Washington reiterates its demand for foreign parties to stop giving funding and arms to the warring parties," the Treasury said in a statement.

Reaction

An expert, from a conflict think tank, described the actions as a "major" milestone, stating that "identifying the recruiters is the proper strategy".

She added that, the Colombian government recently passed a piece of legislation endorsing the anti-mercenary convention, seeking to reduce years of participation by its nationals in international fights and change national security policy.

Sean McFate, an expert on mercenaries, advised additional measures, stating that "restrictions are needed but not enough for addressing rampant mercenarism".

"It’s an illicit economy and operating from the Emirates, which is largely insulated from sanctions," he said. The Emirati government has been widely accused of supplying weapons to the paramilitary group, claims it rejects. "More contractors from Colombia are likely," McFate warned.