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The Washington has levied restrictions on a operation of several persons and entities accused of recruiting former Colombian soldiers to fight for and train a armed faction in Sudan which the US alleges of committing genocide.

Group Makeup

Disclosing the restrictions on this week, the Treasury stated the network was mostly comprised of individuals and businesses from Colombia.

Numerous of former Colombian military personnel have reportedly travelled to the Sudanese warzone to operate with the RSF paramilitary group, a group implicated in severe violations including massacres based on ethnicity and widespread kidnappings.

Discovery of Participation

The participation of ex-soldiers initially emerged the previous year, after an report which disclosed that over three hundred former soldiers had been recruited to fight – an discovery that led to an rare mea culpa from officials in Bogotá.

Former Colombian military have long been considered as among the world’s most sought-after mercenaries due to their vast combat experience gleaned from decades of civil war, familiarity with Nato equipment, and high-level combat training.

Role in the Conflict

In Sudan, the Colombians have allegedly instructed child soldiers, instructed militiamen in drone operation, and fought directly on the frontlines. One source remarked that working with child soldiers was "terrible and insane" but added that "unfortunately that’s how war is".

Targeted Persons

Among those targeted was Álvaro Andrés Quijano Becerra, a individual with dual citizenship and ex-soldier operating from the United Arab Emirates. The government said he had a central role in hiring and sending ex-military personnel to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Oliveros, was penalized as well.

Also on the sanctions list was Mateo Duque Botero, a dual Colombian-Spanish citizen who the Treasury stated managed a business accused of processing money and salaries for the recruitment operation. "Over the past two years, US-based firms connected to Duque conducted numerous wire transfers, worth millions," the Treasury statement said.

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

"Washington reiterates its demand for outside forces to stop giving monetary and weaponry aid to the warring parties," the agency said in a statement.

Analyst Commentary

Elizabeth Dickinson, from a conflict think tank, called the sanctions as a "major" step, noting that "calling out those who are doing the contracting is the proper strategy".

Furthermore, Bogotá ratified a statute approving the anti-mercenary convention, designed to limit years of participation by its nationals in foreign conflicts and reshape national security policy.

Another expert, an expert on mercenaries, called for greater wariness, saying that "sanctions are necessary but insufficient for addressing the growing mercenary trade".

"It’s an illicit economy and based out of Dubai, which is largely insulated from sanctions," he said. The Emirati government has been widely accused of arming the RSF, an accusation it has denied. "Expect more Colombian mercenaries," the expert cautioned.