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The Washington has imposed sanctions on a network of four people and four firms charged of hiring South American contractors to combat alongside and instruct a militia force in Sudan which the US alleges of acts of genocide.

Group Makeup

Revealing the sanctions on Tuesday, the American treasury stated the operation was largely composed of individuals and businesses from Colombia.

Hundreds of former Colombian military personnel have allegedly journeyed to the conflict in Sudan to operate with the RSF paramilitary group, a faction implicated in severe violations including massacres based on ethnicity and large-scale abductions.

Revelation of Role

The participation of ex-soldiers was first uncovered last year, following an investigation which revealed that over three hundred former soldiers had been contracted to engage in combat – an revelation that prompted an rare mea culpa from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

These South American veterans have widely regarded as among the world’s most sought-after mercenaries due to their considerable warzone knowledge resulting from a long-running domestic war, knowledge of Western military gear, and superior tactical education.

Reported Actions

In Sudan, the contractors have been accused of teaching underage fighters, taught fighters to pilot drones, and engaged in frontline combat. A mercenary previously stated that training children was "terrible and insane" but commented that "regrettably, war operates that way".

Targeted Persons

Among those penalized was Álvaro Andrés Quijano Becerra, a dual Colombian-Italian national and ex-soldier operating from the UAE. The Treasury said he had a central role in recruiting and deploying mercenaries to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was also sanctioned.

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

Colombian national Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the fourth individual to be targeted, with the firm she operated said to have conducted wire transfers linked to Duque and his companies.

"The United States again calls on foreign parties to halt the flow of funding and arms to the combatants," the department announced.

Analyst Commentary

Elizabeth Dickinson, with the International Crisis Group, called the actions as a "major" milestone, saying that "targeting the enablers is the proper strategy".

It was also noted that, Bogotá ratified a piece of legislation approving the International Convention Against the Recruitment and Use of Mercenaries, seeking to reduce its citizens' long history in foreign conflicts and reshape national security policy.

Another expert, a scholar on the subject, called for greater wariness, saying that "restrictions are needed but not enough for addressing widespread use of contractors".

"This is a shadow economy and operating from the Emirates, which is largely insulated from sanctions," he stated. The United Arab Emirates has been frequently alleged of providing arms to the militia, an accusation it has denied. "Expect more Colombian mercenaries," McFate warned.