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The United States has imposed sanctions on a operation of several persons and entities charged of hiring former Colombian soldiers to support and educate a Sudanese paramilitary group which the US alleges of acts of genocide.

Network Composition

Revealing the restrictions on Tuesday, the US Treasury Department stated the network was largely composed of individuals and businesses from Colombia.

Hundreds of retired Colombian troops have reportedly travelled to the conflict in Sudan to fight alongside the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a faction implicated in terrible atrocities such as ethnically targeted slaughter and large-scale abductions.

Revelation of Role

The involvement of Colombian fighters was first uncovered the previous year, prompted by an report which found that more than 300 former soldiers had been hired to fight – an event that led to an unusual statement of regret from officials in Bogotá.

These South American veterans have widely regarded as among the world’s most sought-after mercenaries due to their considerable warzone knowledge acquired during a long-running domestic war, knowledge of advanced weaponry, and elite military instruction.

Role in the Conflict

In the conflict, the contractors have allegedly instructed minors, instructed militiamen in drone operation, and participated in direct battles. An individual involved remarked that training children was "terrible and insane" but added that "sadly, that is the nature of conflict".

Targeted Persons

Among those targeted was a dual national, a individual with dual citizenship and retired Colombian military officer based in the UAE. The government accused him a central role in enlisting and transporting mercenaries to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was similarly targeted.

Also on the restricted list was Mateo Andrés Duque Botero, a dual national who the Treasury stated ran a firm implicated in processing money and salaries for the network. "Over the past two years, US-based firms linked to Duque engaged in several money transfers, worth millions," the Treasury statement stated.

Citizen of Colombia Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the final person to be targeted, with the company she managed said to have conducted money transfers linked to Duque and his companies.

"The United States again calls on external actors to halt the flow of financial and military support to the belligerents," the agency said in a statement.

Analyst Commentary

Elizabeth Dickinson, senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, described the measures as a "major" milestone, stating that "targeting the enablers is the correct approach".

It was also noted that, Colombia has enacted a piece of legislation approving the global treaty against mercenarism, aiming to curb years of participation by its nationals in overseas wars and transform domestic defense strategy.

A mercenary specialist, a scholar on the subject, called for greater wariness, stating that "penalties are required yet incomplete for dealing with rampant mercenarism".

"It operates in the black market and centered in the Emirates, which is largely insulated from sanctions," he stated. The United Arab Emirates has been widely accused of supplying weapons to the paramilitary group, an accusation it has denied. "Expect more Colombian mercenaries," McFate warned.