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The United States has levied restrictions on a group of four people and four firms alleged of enlisting former Colombian soldiers to fight for and train a armed faction in Sudan the United States claims of genocidal acts.

Network Composition

Announcing the measures on this week, the Treasury stated the operation was largely composed of Colombian citizens and firms.

Numerous of former Colombian military personnel have allegedly journeyed to the conflict in Sudan to operate with the Sudanese RSF militia, a group accused of severe violations encompassing targeted ethnic killings and mass abductions.

Discovery of Participation

The role of these mercenaries first came to light in 2024, following an investigation which disclosed that hundreds of ex-military personnel had been hired to engage in combat – an revelation that led to an unprecedented apology from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

Colombian ex-soldiers have historically been seen as some of the most in-demand contractors globally due to their vast combat experience resulting from decades of civil war, familiarity with Nato equipment, and high-level combat training.

Reported Actions

In Sudan, the contractors have been accused of teaching child soldiers, taught fighters to pilot drones, and fought directly on the frontlines. One source previously stated that training children was "horrific and irrational" but commented that "unfortunately that’s how war is".

Named Entities

Among those targeted was a dual national, a individual with dual citizenship and former army officer located in the Dubai. The government said he had a key part in recruiting and deploying former Colombian soldiers to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was also sanctioned.

Also on the restricted list was Duque Botero, a individual with Colombian and Spanish citizenship who authorities say managed a business accused of processing money and salaries for the network. "Recently, American entities associated with Duque carried out several money transfers, amounting to millions," the Treasury statement said.

Colombian national Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the fourth individual to be targeted, with the entity she oversaw said to have conducted financial transactions associated with Duque and his operations.

"The United States again calls on outside forces to halt the flow of funding and arms to the belligerents," the agency said in a statement.

Analyst Commentary

An expert, with the International Crisis Group, described the actions as a "major" step, saying that "targeting the enablers is the correct approach".

It was also noted that, Bogotá has enacted a law endorsing the anti-mercenary convention, designed to limit years of participation by its nationals in foreign conflicts and change its security approach.

A mercenary specialist, a authority on private military contractors, urged more caution, noting that "penalties are required yet incomplete for dealing with rampant mercenarism".

"It operates in the black market and based out of the Emirates, which is difficult to penalize," he said. The United Arab Emirates has been repeatedly implicated of supplying weapons to the paramilitary group, allegations it disputes. "This trend will probably continue," he advised.