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The Washington has imposed sanctions on a group of four people and four firms alleged of enlisting Colombian mercenaries to fight for and train a Sudanese paramilitary group that Washington accuses of committing genocide.

Group Makeup

Revealing the measures on this week, the Treasury stated the scheme was mostly comprised of individuals and businesses from Colombia.

Hundreds of retired Colombian troops have allegedly journeyed to Sudan to operate with the Sudanese RSF militia, a force linked to severe violations encompassing targeted ethnic killings and large-scale abductions.

Discovery of Participation

The participation of ex-soldiers initially emerged last year, prompted by an inquiry which disclosed that more than 300 ex-military personnel had been hired to fight – an discovery that prompted an unusual statement of regret from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

These South American veterans have historically been seen as highly prized fighters in conflict zones due to their extensive battlefield experience gleaned from a long-running domestic war, familiarity with Western military gear, and superior tactical education.

Reported Actions

In the conflict, the mercenaries have been accused of teaching child soldiers, provided drone warfare training, and engaged in frontline combat. One source was quoted as saying that training children was "terrible and insane" but added that "regrettably, war operates that way".

Sanctioned Individuals

Among those targeted was a retired Colombian officer, a individual with dual citizenship and ex-soldier operating from the United Arab Emirates. The Treasury accused him a key part in enlisting and transporting former Colombian soldiers to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Oliveros, was penalized as well.

Also on the penalty list was Mateo Andrés Duque Botero, a dual Colombian-Spanish citizen who the Treasury stated ran a firm implicated in handling funds and payroll for the network. "Recently, companies in the United States linked to Duque engaged in several money transfers, totalling millions of US dollars," the Treasury statement stated.

Individual Mónica Muñoz was the fourth individual to be sanctioned, with the firm she operated accused of money transfers connected to Duque and his companies.

"Washington reiterates its demand for foreign parties to stop giving funding and arms to the belligerents," the Treasury announced.

Reaction

An expert, from a conflict think tank, labeled the sanctions as a "major" step, noting that "identifying the recruiters is the correct approach".

It was also noted that, Bogotá recently passed a piece of legislation endorsing the International Convention Against the Recruitment and Use of Mercenaries, aiming to curb years of participation by its nationals in overseas wars and reshape national security policy.

Sean McFate, a authority on private military contractors, advised additional measures, noting that "restrictions are needed but not enough for addressing the growing mercenary trade".

"It operates in the black market and operating from the UAE, which is difficult to penalize," he said. The Emirati government has been repeatedly implicated of providing arms to the militia, claims it rejects. "More contractors from Colombia are likely," he advised.